US Launches Deadly Airstrike on IS Targets in Nigeria

Acting on a request from the Nigerian government, the United States has carried out a deadly airstrike against Islamic State (IS) targets in the north-west of Nigeria. The operation, confirmed on Thursday by US President Donald Trump and the American military, reportedly targeted IS militants who had been attacking civilian populations, particularly Christians.

President Trump posted on his social media platform, Truth Social, stating:
“Tonight, as Commander-in-Chief, I ordered a powerful and lethal strike against ISIS terrorists in north-west Nigeria. They were brutally attacking innocent people, especially Christians, in a way rarely seen for decades, even centuries.”

The US Africa Command (AFRICOM) said the strike was coordinated with Nigerian authorities and carried out in Sokoto State, resulting in the deaths of several IS fighters. Initially, AFRICOM had indicated in a preliminary statement that the operation was conducted at Nigeria’s request, though the post was later removed from X (formerly Twitter).

Background

The airstrike comes amid heightened US concern over attacks on Christians in Nigeria. At the end of October, President Trump warned that Christians in the country faced an “existential threat” and suggested that the US might intervene militarily if the violence continued. Reuters reported on Monday that since late November, US surveillance aircraft have been collecting intelligence across large parts of Nigeria.

The Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that the strike was part of ongoing security cooperation with the US, aimed at targeting armed groups through intelligence sharing and strategic coordination. In a post on X, the ministry said the operation enabled precision strikes on terrorist positions in north-western Nigeria.

Details of the Attack

A Pentagon-released video shows missiles being launched from a US warship. A US defence official stated that the strike specifically targeted IS fighters in known strongholds. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth thanked the Nigerian government on X, adding: “More is coming…”

Nigerian officials, however, caution that armed groups in the country target both Muslim and Christian communities, and emphasise that focusing solely on attacks against Christians risks overlooking broader security measures and protection of religious freedoms. Nevertheless, the Nigerian government has agreed to work with the US to strengthen counterterrorism capabilities.

Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, is divided along religious lines, with the north predominantly Muslim and the south largely Christian. In a separate incident on Thursday, a suspected suicide bombing at a mosque in north-eastern Nigeria killed at least five people and injured 35 others, highlighting ongoing instability caused by Islamist insurgents.

Earlier this month, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu urged national unity and called for the protection of all religious communities. Speaking on Christmas Day, he said:
“I will do my utmost to ensure religious freedom in Nigeria and protect all citizens—Christians, Muslims, and others—from violence.”

President Trump, who was at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida on Christmas Day, made public statements regarding the airstrike, although he had no official public events scheduled that day. The operation follows a larger US strike on IS in Syria last week, carried out after intelligence indicated a potential attack on American forces.