Despite repeatedly portraying himself as a leader determined to end “endless wars”, US President Donald Trump oversaw military strikes in seven countries in 2025. The recent most Trump targeted is Venezuela, where multiple explosions rocked Caracas, the capital city of Venezuela, where loud explosions were heard on Saturday.The Trump administration has targeted Venezuela, Nigeria, Somalia, Syria, Iran, Yemen and Iraq, marking one of the most expansive years of US military action in recent history.
Talking about the bombing of a docking facility in Venezuela, Trump said that, “There was a major explosion in the dock area where they load the boats up with drugs, so we hit all the boats, and now we hit the area. It’s the implementation area. That’s where they implement. And that is no longer around.”
Data from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) shows that the United States has carried out more than 600 overseas strikes in Trump’s first year as president since he got back into the Oval Office. Many of these operations were conducted through air strikes and drones, often justified by Washington as counterterrorism or security measures.
Venezuela
The most recent and politically sensitive escalation occurred in Venezuela, according to news reports, President Trump ordered strikes insides Venezuela on sites such as military facilities, the action came following weeks of allegations against the government of President Nicolás Maduro. Previously, the US launched its first-ever strike on Venezuelan land. Trump confirmed that American forces had hit a docking facility allegedly used for drug trafficking. “There was a major explosion in the dock area where they load the boats up with drugs,” he said, adding, “That is no longer around.”
Nigeria
In Nigeria, US forces carried out air strikes on Christmas Day against what Washington described as ISIL-linked fighters in Sokoto State. US Africa Command called the operation “powerful and deadly”, though details about casualties were not publicly disclosed.
Somalia
The heaviest concentration of US strikes was reported in Somalia, where air operations targeting armed groups, which include al-Shabab, a group affiliated with al-Qaeda, continued throughout the year. Monitoring groups recorded more than 100 strikes, surpassing totals seen under previous administrations.
Syria
In the Middle East, the US intensified its military action across multiple fronts. In Syria, American forces struck dozens of ISIL targets after an attack killed US soldiers. Trump said the US was “striking very strongly against ISIS strongholds”, while Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth described the operation as “a declaration of vengeance”.
Iran
The US also carried out direct strikes on Iran, targeting nuclear facilities in June. Trump later warned Tehran against rebuilding its infrastructure, saying, “If they are, we’re going to have to knock them down… We’ll knock the hell out of them.” Iran attacked a US airbase in Qatar the day after the US strikes in retaliation for the strikes carried out.
Yemen
In Yemen, US forces repeatedly bombed Houthi targets as part of efforts to secure Red Sea shipping routes, Houthi rebels had been repeatedly targeting Israeli-linked vessels in the Red Sea in solidarity with Gaza. Trump launched Operation Rough Rider, in which the US claimed that they killed 500 Houthis.
Iraq
According to the US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM), US air strikes in Iraq’s al-Anbar province killed a senior ISIL leader identified as Abdallah “Abu Khadijah” Malli Muslih al-Rifai, along with another member. Following the strike, Trump wrote on Truth Social, “He was relentlessly hunted down by our intrepid warfighters. His miserable life was terminated, along with another member of ISIS, in coordination with the Iraqi Government and the Kurdish Regional Government. PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH!”
US President Donald Trump has bombed seven countries in 2025, which is in total contrats with his “president of peace” rhetoric.
