Mogadishu, Somalia — Airstrikes targeting al-Shabaab militants in Somalia's central Hiiraan region have killed dozens, including senior leaders of the extremist group, local sources and officials said on Friday.

The strikes, which occurred late Thursday, hit areas around the town of Maxaas and the village of Abooreey. Security sources said the attacks targeted meeting points and defensive positions held by the group.

"A high-level meeting was underway when the strikes hit," a regional security official told Radio Shabelle on condition of anonymity. "Several senior al-Shabaab leaders in Hiiraan, including a top commander, were killed on the spot."

Preliminary reports suggest that more than 40 militants were killed in total. The airstrikes also destroyed several key defensive structures used by the group, sources added.

In Maxaas, a former al-Shabaab stronghold recently retaken by Somali government forces and allied clan fighters known as Macawiisley, strikes continued into the early hours of Friday. Casualties were also reported in these attacks, though details remain unclear.

The government has intensified operations in central Somalia in recent weeks, aiming to drive al-Shabaab from remaining areas under its control in Hiiraan and the neighboring Middle Shabelle region.

The offensive is part of a broader campaign backed by international partners, including the African Union and the United States, to weaken the al-Qaeda-linked group, which has waged an insurgency against the Somali state for more than 15 years.