United States President Donald Trump has said American forces carried out what he described as “powerful and deadly” air strikes against Islamic State (ISIS) militants in north-western Nigeria on Thursday, following repeated warnings that the group must halt the killing of Christians in the country.

Confirming the operation, Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the strikes were carried out as part of structured security cooperation between Nigeria and the United States, describing them as “precision hits on terrorist targets” conducted by air strikes in the country’s North-West.

The United States Department of Defense said “multiple ISIS terrorists” were killed in the operation, which it said was carried out at the request of Nigerian authorities, though it provided few operational details.

According to Mr. Trump, the strikes were executed on Christmas Day.

“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,” he wrote on his Truth Social platform.

“May God bless our military,” he added. “Merry Christmas to all, including the dead terrorists, of which there will be many more if their slaughter of Christians continues.”

The United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) said in a post on X that it conducted the strike “at the request of Nigerian authorities in Sokoto State, killing multiple ISIS terrorists”.

The United States Secretary of Defense, Mr. Pete Hegseth, also took to X to commend the operation, saying the Pentagon remained ready to act in Nigeria and that he was “grateful for Nigerian government support and cooperation”.

In a statement released early on Friday, Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the air strikes, stressing that Nigerian authorities remained engaged in structured security cooperation with international partners, including the United States, to address the persistent threat of terrorism and violent extremism.

“This has led to precision hits on terrorist targets in Nigeria by air strikes in the North-West,” the ministry said.

It explained that the cooperation was in line with established international practice and bilateral understandings, and included intelligence sharing, strategic coordination, and other forms of support consistent with international law, mutual respect for sovereignty, and shared commitments to regional and global security.

The ministry emphasised that all counter-terrorism efforts were guided by the protection of civilian lives, the preservation of national unity, and the upholding of the rights and dignity of all citizens, regardless of faith or ethnicity.

“Terrorist violence in any form, whether directed at Christians, Muslims, or other communities, remains an affront to Nigeria’s values and to international peace and security,” the statement said.

The Federal Government reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with international partners through established diplomatic and security channels to weaken terrorist networks, disrupt their financing and logistics, prevent cross-border threats, and strengthen Nigeria’s own security institutions and intelligence capabilities.

The ministry added that it would continue to engage relevant partners and keep the public informed through appropriate official channels.

The operation marks the first known US military strike in Nigeria under Mr. Trump and follows his sharp criticism of the country in October and November, when he accused Nigeria of failing to protect Christians, claiming they faced an “existential threat” amounting to “genocide”.

While some observers welcomed the heightened diplomatic and military pressure, others warned that the rhetoric risked inflaming religious tensions in Africa’s most populous nation, which has a history of sectarian violence.

Nigeria’s government, supported by independent analysts, has rejected framing the country’s insecurity primarily as religious persecution, insisting that the violence cuts across communities and faiths. That narrative, officials argue, has long been promoted by Christian advocacy groups in the United States and Europe.

Nevertheless, Mr. Trump, who has consistently highlighted what his administration describes as global persecution of Christians, has maintained that Washington is prepared to take military action in Nigeria to counter such killings.

Earlier this year, the United States returned Nigeria to its list of countries of “particular concern” over religious freedom and imposed restrictions on the issuance of visas to Nigerians.