President Trump announced on Christmas Day that the United States carried out airstrikes against ISIS militants in northwest Nigeria. The strikes targeted camps in Sokoto State. Trump said they were in response to ongoing attacks on Christian communities in the region.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump described the operation as a “powerful and deadly strike” on what he called “ISIS Terrorist Scum”. He said the militants have been killing innocent Christians for years. He added that he had warned them before, and now action was taken. Trump also said there could be more strikes if the violence does not stop.
The Pentagon released a video showing missiles launching from a U.S. Navy ship. Officials said Tomahawk cruise missiles hit ISIS positions. U.S. Africa Command confirmed the strikes happened in coordination with Nigerian authorities. Early reports say several militants were killed, but there are no exact numbers yet. No word on civilian casualties.
This comes after months of tension. Trump has spoken out several times about violence against Christians in Nigeria. Back in November, he warned that the U.S. might get involved if things did not improve. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth echoed that then, saying the military was ready.
Hegseth posted after the strikes, thanking Nigeria for their cooperation. He said the president’s message was clear: the killings must end. He hinted at possible follow-up actions.
Sokoto State is in northwest Nigeria, near the border with Niger. It’s mostly Muslim, but ISIS affiliates like the Islamic State West Africa Province operate in the area. They have carried out attacks across the region. Violence there has displaced many people and caused deaths on all sides over the years.
Nigeria’s government welcomed the help. Their foreign ministry said the strikes were part of joint efforts to fight terrorism. President Bola Tinubu had called for peace in his Christmas message earlier that day.
Some people praised the move. Supporters said it shows the U.S. standing up for persecuted groups. Others worry about whether Congress approved it. Questions remain about the legal side, since there was no formal declaration of war.
The strikes are part of broader U.S. actions against ISIS lately. Just last week, there were hits in Syria too.
Details are still coming in. Casualty figures are not confirmed. People in the area might feel the impact for a while. This could change how the U.S. works with Nigeria on security.
Trump spent Christmas at Mar-a-Lago in Florida. He made the announcement from there.
Overall, it’s a big step in the fight against extremists in West Africa. But it also raises talks about U.S. involvement abroad again.
