U.S. Conducts Rare Christmas Airstrikes Against ISIS in Nigeria

The United States military, at the request of the Nigerian government, conducted a series of airstrikes against Islamic State militants in Nigeria on Christmas Day. The operation marks a significant and public escalation of direct U.S. counter-terrorism action in West Africa.

President Donald Trump announced the "precision" strikes in a social media post on December 25, calling them "powerful and deadly" and a direct response to threats against Christians in the region [34994][35422]. U.S. Africa Command later confirmed the action, stating it targeted fighters from the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP), a local affiliate of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) [35042][35439].

Nigerian officials confirmed their involvement, stating they provided the intelligence that led to the strikes and that their president approved the operation [35701]. A government statement described the actions as part of "joint ongoing operations" between the two nations [35315]. While exact casualty figures were not released, Nigerian authorities reported that multiple ISIS fighters were killed [35439].

The strikes reportedly occurred in Nigeria's northwest, specifically in Sokoto State, an area not typically associated with the major extremist groups that operate in the country's northeast [35647][36494]. This unusual location has prompted some local questions, though U.S. officials stated the strike was aimed at a specific terrorist threat [35647].

The operation is notable for its rarity. While the U.S. regularly provides military support and training to Nigerian forces, direct air strikes by American aircraft on Nigerian soil are uncommon [35042][35225]. Following the initial strikes, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned that there would be "more to come," signaling a potential ongoing campaign [35315].