Trump announces U.S. Strike on Islamic state targets in Nigeria

U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday announced that American forces had carried out what he described as a “powerful and deadly” strike against Islamic State militants in Nigeria, following weeks of sharp criticism of the Nigerian government over the persecution of Christians.

In a Christmas evening post on his social media platform, Trump offered no operational details and did not specify the scale of damage inflicted or the number of militants targeted in the operation.

A U.S. Defense Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity because the information has not been publicly disclosed, confirmed that the strikes were conducted in coordination with Nigerian authorities. According to the official, the operation was approved by Nigeria’s government, underscoring ongoing security cooperation between Washington and Abuja in the fight against extremist groups operating in West Africa.

Islamic State–affiliated factions have been active in parts of northern and northeastern Nigeria, where insecurity linked to insurgency and sectarian violence has persisted for years.