U.S. Strike Targets ISIS Militants in Northwest Nigeria in Joint Operation

The United States carried out an air strike against Islamic State militants in northwest Nigeria at the request of the Nigerian government, officials confirmed on Thursday. Former U.S. President Donald Trump said the operation targeted militants who had been attacking Christian communities, calling the strike “powerful and deadly” in a post on Truth Social. U.S. Africa Command said the strike, conducted in Sokoto state in coordination with Nigerian authorities, killed multiple ISIS fighters.

Nigeria’s Foreign Minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar described the action as a “joint operation” based on shared intelligence and said it was aimed at terrorist elements rather than any particular religious group. He noted that planning had been underway “for quite some time” and did not rule out further coordinated actions. Nigeria’s foreign ministry added that the strike formed part of broader security cooperation with the United States involving intelligence sharing and strategic targeting of militant camps.

A video released by the Pentagon showed a projectile being launched from a warship, while a U.S. defense official confirmed the strike hit militants at known ISIS locations. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth thanked Nigeria for its cooperation, adding there was “more to come.” The attack follows heightened concern over extremist violence in Nigeria, where authorities say armed groups threaten both Muslim and Christian communities, and comes amid wider U.S. military action against ISIS targets in the Middle East.

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