United States President Donald Trump has said that American forces carried out what he described as “numerous” deadly airstrikes against Islamic State (ISIS) militants operating in northwestern Nigeria, warning that further attacks would follow if the group continued killing Christians.
Trump disclosed the operation in a post on his Truth Social platform on Thursday, claiming the strikes targeted ISIS fighters responsible for attacks on 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,” Trump wrote. “They have been targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians.”
He said the operation was executed by the US Department of War, describing the strikes as “numerous” and “perfect,” and adding that the United States would not allow “radical Islamic terrorism to prosper.”
Trump also warned that more attacks would follow if the killings continued. “If their slaughter of Christians continues, there will be many more,” he said, ending the message with a Christmas greeting.
In a separate post on X (formerly Twitter), US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth confirmed the strikes and said they were carried out with the cooperation of Nigerian authorities.
“The President was clear last month: the killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria must end,” Hegseth wrote. “The Department of War is always ready, so ISIS found out tonight — on Christmas. Grateful for Nigerian government support and cooperation.”
The US Africa Command (AFRICOM) also confirmed the operation, stating that American forces conducted airstrikes that killed multiple ISIS terrorists in Sokoto State.
“At the direction of the President of the United States and the Secretary of War, and in coordination with Nigerian authorities, U.S. Africa Command conducted strikes against ISIS terrorists in Nigeria on December 25, 2025, in Sokoto State,” the command said in a post on X.
The strikes came a day after a bomb exploded inside a mosque in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, killing at least five people and injuring dozens in what authorities suspect was a suicide attack. No group has officially claimed responsibility for the blast.
Nigeria has for years battled violent insurgencies led by Boko Haram and its splinter faction, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), which operate mainly in the North-East but have expanded attacks into other regions.
Trump has repeatedly accused Nigeria of failing to protect Christian communities. In November, he warned that the US could cut off aid to Nigeria and take military action if the government did not do more to stop extremist violence.
“I have instructed the War Department to prepare for possible action against terrorist thugs in Nigeria,” Trump said in a November 1 Truth Social post.
The latest strikes add to a series of military actions ordered by Trump since returning to office in January. The administration has authorised operations in Yemen, Somalia, Iraq, Iran, Syria, and parts of the Caribbean Sea and Eastern Pacific, according to US officials.
Last week, the Trump administration also recalled more than two dozen ambassadors appointed under former President Joe Biden, including the US envoy to Nigeria, as part of a broader overhaul of the diplomatic corps.
As of the time of filing this report, Nigerian authorities have not issued an official statement confirming casualties or detailing the scope of the US operation.