United States President Donald Trump has announced that American forces carried out what he described as “powerful and deadly” airstrikes against Islamic State (ISIS) terrorists operating in Northwestern Nigeria, warning that further attacks would follow if the killing of Christians continues.
Trump made the declaration on Thursday via his Truth Social platform, stating that the strikes were executed at his direct order as Commander-in-Chief and were aimed at militants he accused of targeting Christian communities.
“Tonight, at my direction as Commander in Chief, the United States launched a powerful and deadly strike against ISIS terrorist scum in Northwest Nigeria, who have been targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians,” Trump wrote. “I previously warned these terrorists that if they did not stop the slaughtering of Christians, there would be hell to pay, and tonight, there was.”
The president added that the Department of War carried out “numerous perfect strikes,” insisting that the operation demonstrated U.S. military superiority. He vowed that his administration would not allow “radical Islamic terrorism to prosper,” ending his post with a Christmas message that included a provocative warning to militants.
In a related post on X (formerly Twitter), U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth confirmed the operation and expressed appreciation for Nigeria’s cooperation. “The President was clear last month: the killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria (and elsewhere) must end,” Hegseth wrote. “The Department of War is always ready, so ISIS found out tonight — on Christmas. Grateful for Nigerian government support & cooperation.”
U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) also confirmed the strike, stating that American forces, in coordination with Nigerian authorities, targeted ISIS fighters in Sokoto State on December 25, 2025, killing multiple terrorists.
The reported airstrikes came just one day after a deadly explosion ripped through a mosque in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, killing at least five people and injuring dozens in what security sources described as a suspected suicide bombing.
Nigeria has faced prolonged insurgency and extremist violence, particularly from Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), groups responsible for attacks on both Christian and Muslim communities across the country.
Last month, Trump warned that his administration could cut off U.S. aid to Nigeria and consider direct military action if more decisive steps were not taken to curb extremist violence. In a November 1 Truth Social post, he said he had ordered the War Department to “prepare for possible action” against terrorist groups operating in Nigeria.
The strikes in Nigeria add to a growing list of overseas military operations conducted by the Trump administration since January, including actions in Yemen, Somalia, Iraq, Iran, Syria, and maritime operations in the Caribbean Sea and Eastern Pacific Ocean.
Comments