What countries has Trump attacked since returning to office?
His second term has been marked by direct strikes on multiple countries, as well as intensified air campaigns and special operations in the name of counterterrorism and anti-narcotics efforts.
Despite pledging during his campaign to end US involvement in costly foreign wars, President Donald Trump has overseen a sharp expansion of US military operations abroad since returning to office in January 2025.
His second term has been marked by direct strikes on multiple countries, as well as intensified air campaigns and special operations in the name of counterterrorism and anti-narcotics efforts.
Here is a look at the countries where the US has carried out military actions under Trump's current term:
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Iran
The most dramatic escalation has come in Iran. Joint US-Israeli strikes that began on Saturday morning, Tehran time, have reportedly killed at least 201 people, according to Iranian authorities. Trump described the attacks as "major combat operations" aimed at regime change.
Earlier in June 2025, the US also struck Iranian nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan during a separate round of hostilities. Trump claimed those attacks had "obliterated" Iran's nuclear capabilities. Critics have described both operations as violations of international law.
Venezuela
In January 2026, the Trump administration launched a military operation in Venezuela, bombing parts of the capital, Caracas. Venezuelan officials said 83 people were killed, including security personnel and civilians. President Nicolás Maduro was reportedly abducted during the operation, according to Venezuelan authorities.
Latin America and the Caribbean
Since September, the US has conducted at least 45 strikes on suspected drug trafficking vessels across Latin America and the Caribbean. Monitoring group Airwars says at least 151 people were killed.
The Trump administration has framed the campaign as a counter-narcotics effort, arguing that drug trafficking constitutes a form of armed attack against the US. UN officials and legal experts have rejected that interpretation, calling the strikes unlawful.
Nigeria
The US has expanded military cooperation with Nigeria, including air strikes and the deployment of around 100 US personnel to train local forces. Trump has threatened further action if Nigeria does not address what he has described as a "genocide" of Christians, a claim Nigerian officials dispute.
In December 2025, Trump announced "powerful and deadly" strikes targeting alleged ISIL affiliates in northwestern Nigeria, carried out with the Nigerian government's cooperation.
Somalia
US military activity in Somalia has surged during Trump's second term. According to research by the New America Foundation, the US carried out at least 111 air strikes in Somalia in 2025 alone, targeting armed groups such as al-Shabab and ISIL affiliates.
Yemen
Between March and May 2025, the US launched dozens of naval and air strikes against Yemen's Houthi group. The strikes targeted infrastructure and military sites, and rights groups reported civilian casualties, including an April strike on Ras Isa port in Hodeidah that allegedly killed more than 80 civilians. A ceasefire was later brokered by Oman in May.
Syria
In December 2025, the US carried out strikes on ISIL targets in Syria following an attack in Palmyra that killed two US soldiers and a translator. Trump described the strikes as "very serious retaliation."
Iraq
In March 2025, a US strike in Iraq's al-Anbar province killed Abdallah "Abu Khadijah" Malli Muslih al-Rifai, identified as a senior ISIL commander, along with another operative. The operation was conducted in coordination with Iraqi and Kurdish authorities.
Trump has defended the expanded military posture as necessary to protect US interests and project strength abroad. However, the scale and scope of the operations have sparked debate at home and criticism from international legal experts.
