The Trump administration reportedly has authorized U.S. military commanders to use airstrikes and special operation raids outside conventional battlefields.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signed a directive easing policy constraints and executive oversight on airstrikes and the deployment of American commandos, CBS News reported.
Hegseth did so during his first overseas trip when he met with senior U.S. military leaders from U.S. Africa Command in Germany.
"The secretary met with senior leaders to discuss strategic priorities, regional threats, and cooperation with allies and partners. He emphasized the Department of Defense's commitment to enhancing lethality, improving force readiness, and strengthening partnerships to counter emerging threats and maintain stability," the U.S. Africa Command website said.
The new mandates are similar to the more aggressive counterterrorism policies under President Donald Trump in his first term. They prioritize flexibility by giving commanders greater latitude to decide whom to target, sources told CBS News.
One official said Trump's approach potentially can degrade foreign terrorist organizations capabilities faster, given the lower threshold required to strike and widened target selection.
Potential targets discussed by Pentagon officials include the Islamist armed group Al-Shabaab in Somalia and the Houthis in Yemen, the report said.
There also has been talk of using drones to attack cartels within Mexico, though President Claudia Sheinbaum warned that her country will not tolerate an invasion of its national sovereignty.
Hegseth's directive rolls back warfare policies that were implemented under former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden.
U.S. airstrikes fall into two categories, deliberate and defensive.
"Deliberate strikes go through a multistep review and have multiple levels of oversight throughout the target development. Defensive strikes are executed in limited circumstances where U.S. or specifically designated partner forces are in imminent danger from hostile forces. U.S. forces have the inherent right to self defense when attacked by hostile actors," according to U.S. Africa Command.
During his first few weeks as secretary, Hegseth has seen Trump's abrupt firing of the nation's senior military officer amid a wave of dismissals at the Pentagon.
On Monday, Hegseth announced that two Judge Advocates General officers were fired, as they served as "roadblocks" to Trump's agenda, The Hill reported.
"It's not about roadblocks to an agenda," Hegseth told reporters. "It's roadblocks to orders that are given by a commander in chief."
Reuters contributed to this story.
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