US alters military strategy, granting commanders broader authority for strikes

President Donald Trump has rolled back restrictions on US military operations, allowing American commanders more autonomy to authorize airstrikes and special operations raids outside conventional battlefields.

The shift marks a significant policy change, dismantling the more restrictive Biden-era mandates and signaling a return to the more aggressive counterterrorism approach implemented during Trump’s first term, Caliber.Az reports citing foreign media.

The new directive was signed by Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth during a meeting with senior US military leaders at US Africa Command in Germany. It grants commanders greater flexibility to decide whom to target, easing the multi-layered oversight previously established under President Biden. This policy change, according to US officials, prioritizes flexibility over centralized control, which had been in place since the Obama administration.

A senior Defence Department official described Biden's approach as a continuation of Obama-era policies, focusing primarily on targeting senior leadership within terrorist organizations. In contrast, Trump’s new policy broadens the range of targets and lowers the threshold for military actions, potentially accelerating the degradation of terrorist organizations' capabilities. However, this shift also increases the risk of unintended consequences, including civilian casualties.

The move comes as discussions within the Pentagon have considered potential targets such as Al-Shabaab in Somalia and the Houthis in Yemen. The US military's airstrike policies are divided into deliberate and defensive strikes, with the former requiring extensive vetting and approval processes. Under the Biden administration, these procedures ran through the Joint Staff and the executive branch to ensure compliance with international law and minimize civilian harm.

Furthermore, Trump’s directive follows significant changes within the Pentagon, including the firing of top judge advocate generals for the Air Force, Army, and Navy, positions typically seen as apolitical. Hegseth defended these dismissals, emphasizing the need for flexibility and timely decision-making in military operations.

While the full details of the new directive remain unclear, the shift signals a return to the more aggressive counterterrorism strategies that defined Trump's earlier presidency.

By Vafa Guliyeva