US strikes Islamic State targets in Nigeria, Trump says

The United States carried out a military airstrike in Nigeria targeting Islamic State operatives on Christmas, President Donald Trump announced, citing the terrorist group’s persecution of the country’s Christian population.

In a social media post, Trump said he had ordered U.S. forces to conduct “a powerful and deadly strike” against ISIS targets in northwest Nigeria. U.S. Africa Command later confirmed the operation, saying the strike was carried out at the request of Nigerian authorities and resulted in the deaths of “multiple ISIS terrorists.”

Trump said the targeted terrorists had been “viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians,” warning that he had previously cautioned Islamist groups in Nigeria that continued attacks would prompt U.S. military action.

“Tonight, at my direction as Commander in Chief, the United States launched a powerful and deadly strike against ISIS Terrorist Scum in Northwest Nigeria,” Trump wrote. “I have previously warned these Terrorists that if they did not stop the slaughtering of Christians, there would be hell to pay, and tonight, there was.”

In November, Trump publicly threatened possible U.S. military action if Nigeria’s government failed to halt attacks on Christians by Islamist groups. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said on Thursday that additional action could follow if the group continues targeting “innocent Christians in Nigeria (and elsewhere).”