The United States conducted airstrikes against Islamic State militants in northwestern Nigeria on Christmas night, marking a significant escalation of American military involvement in the West African nation’s long-running battle against extremist groups.
President Donald Trump announced the strikes on Truth Social, saying he ordered “numerous” attacks against militants he accused of killing Christians.
“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, at levels not seen for many years, and even Centuries!” Trump wrote.
U.S. Africa Command confirmed the operation was conducted “in coordination with Nigerian authorities” in Sokoto State. The Pentagon released video showing at least one projectile launched from a warship, likely a BGM-109 Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles (TLAM), though neither American nor Nigerian officials disclosed casualty figures.
.@POTUS “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, at levels not seen for many years, and… pic.twitter.com/ct7rUW128t
— Department of War 🇺🇸 (@DeptofWar) December 26, 2025
Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar told Channels Television that the operation was a joint effort built on intelligence sharing between the two countries. Tuggar said he spoke with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio for 19 minutes, then contacted Nigerian President Bola Tinubu for approval before speaking with Rubio again.
“We have been working closely with the Americans,” Tuggar said. “This is what we’ve always been hoping for, to work with the Americans, to work with other countries, to combat terrorism, to stop the death of innocent Nigerians.”
The Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the country was “engaged in structured security cooperation” with the United States that “led to precision hits on terrorist targets.”
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signaled additional operations may follow, writing on X: “More to come…”
While officials did not specify which militant group was targeted, security analysts told the Associated Press the strikes likely hit members of Islamic State Sahel Province, known locally as Lakurawa, which has grown increasingly lethal in border states like Sokoto and Kebbi over the past year.
Christian charity Open Doors told Fox News Digital that its sources indicated the airstrikes hit terrorist camps in Jabo, a rural community in Tambuwal Local Government Area of Sokoto State. The organization noted Jabo is a predominantly Fulani town with no church presence, identified as a militant haven connected to neighboring Kebbi and Zamfara states.
Multiple analysts said Lakurawa has operated in northwest Nigeria since around 2017, when traditional authorities in Sokoto initially invited the group to protect communities from bandits.
“Communities now openly say that Lakurawa are more oppressive and dangerous than the bandits they claim to protect them from,” said Malik Samuel, a Nigerian security researcher with Good Governance Africa told AP.
Nigeria is battling multiple armed groups, including at least two affiliated with ISIS: the Islamic State West Africa Province, an offshoot of Boko Haram operating in the northeast, and the Islamic State Sahel Province in the northwest. The country also faces widespread banditry and kidnapping across its northern regions.
When asked if more operations would follow, Tuggar said: “You can call it a new phase of an old conflict. For us it is something that is ongoing.”
U.S. aircraft conducted surveillance missions over the region earlier this month, reportedly using an airport in neighboring Ghana as a base.
