US Airstrikes Target ISIS Camps in Nigeria on Christmas Day
The United States military executed a strategic airstrike against ISIS strongholds in northwestern Nigeria on December 25, a move resonating with symbolic timing given its occurrence on Christmas Day. President Donald Trump characterized the military engagement as a “powerful and deadly strike against ISIS Terrorist Scum.”
In a post on Truth Social, Trump accused ISIS fighters of “targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians at levels not seen for many years, and even Centuries!”
According to The New York Times, Tomahawk cruise missiles were deployed from a U.S. Navy vessel stationed in the Gulf of Guinea. The operation targeted two ISIS encampments in Nigeria’s Sokoto State and was executed in collaboration with the Nigerian military forces.
U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) confirmed the operation’s coordination with Nigerian authorities, with preliminary evaluations suggesting that “multiple ISIS terrorists” were eliminated.
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth mirrored the president’s sentiments, asserting on X that “ISIS found out tonight — on Christmas” and hinted at further actions, while acknowledging Nigerian cooperation.
Hegseth also shared footage from the U.S. Department of War depicting a missile launch from the Navy ship.
.@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
This military engagement follows a series of warnings from the Trump administration over the escalating violence in Nigeria, framed as a religious persecution issue against Christians.
In a recent move, the U.S. State Department labeled Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern” in November. This designation came shortly after Trump hinted at military intervention and the potential cessation of U.S. aid due to the treatment of Christians.
Surveillance operations over Nigeria have reportedly been ongoing since late November, with the U.S. State Department announcing visa restrictions for Nigerians involved in religious freedom violations, possibly extending to their family members.
Nigerian authorities, however, portrayed the strikes as part of a broader counterterrorism initiative, with Foreign Minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar describing it as a “joint operation” utilizing Nigerian intelligence and unrelated to any specific religion. Information Minister Mohammed Idris indicated that the targets were ISIS sites used for orchestrating major attacks.
Advocates for anti-Christian persecution have expressed ongoing concerns about the violence in Nigeria.
Open Doors, an organization monitoring Christian persecution, reports that Nigeria accounts for more Christian fatalities than any other country. Their annual World Watch List indicates that 3,100 of the 4,476 global Christian deaths last year occurred in Nigeria.
Nigeria also ranks highest in Christian abductions, with 2,830 of the 3,775 global cases, according to the nonprofit organization.
The plight of Christians in Nigeria has garnered international attention, with rapper Nicki Minaj addressing the United Nations in November to highlight the issue of religious persecution in Nigeria.
This article was originally written by www.christianpost.com
