Media: Trump eases airstrike rules, allowing commanders to target terrorists without White House approval

The Trump administration has eased restrictions on military airstrikes, granting commanders more autonomy in making lethal decisions, according to a U.S. defence official.

Under the new rules, senior military officers can authorise strikes on targets with official terrorist designations without seeking White House approval, Caliber.Az reports, citing Military Times.

This change is seen as a response to the previous administration’s extensive involvement in approving strikes, which military leaders found to be too slow in addressing time-sensitive targets, such as terrorists.

The Pentagon did not provide an official statement on the rule change. However, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed the move in a brief post on X.

The relaxed airstrike rules coincide with an ongoing effort to increase the presence of U.S. troops along the U.S.-Mexico border and a broader escalation in counterterrorism operations. Approximately 3,000 additional active-duty troops are being deployed to the border, joining the 9,200 troops already stationed there.

On January 20, President Trump signed an executive order labelling cartels as foreign terrorist organisations. This designation, combined with the new airstrike rules, allows military leaders to target these organisations with a reduced chain of command.

The Trump administration has been vocal in its support for airstrikes, with numerous operations carried out since the beginning of his second term. U.S. Central Command recently executed multiple strikes against Hurras al-Din, a Syrian al-Qaeda affiliate, while U.S. Africa Command targeted Islamic State militants in Somalia.

On February 1, Trump publicly took responsibility for a precision strike against ISIS-Somalia militants in the Golis mountains of Somaliland, sharing footage of the airstrike on social media.

By Aghakazim Guliyev