US Launches Strikes Against ISIS Targets in Nigeria Under Trump's Directive

On December 25, 2025, the United States military executed a targeted operation against facilities affiliated with the Islamic State (ISIS) in northwestern Nigeria. President Donald Trump publicly confirmed that he personally issued the directive for these strikes. He cited the group's pattern of brutally murdering innocent Christian populations as the primary justification for the action.

The U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) officially verified the military engagement that took place in Sokoto State. This operation successfully eliminated several ISIS operatives within their known encampments. Reports indicate that the initial phase involved deploying over a dozen Tomahawk cruise missiles. These missiles were launched from a U.S. Navy vessel stationed in the Gulf of Guinea, operating in close coordination with Nigerian authorities.

Alternative accounts suggest a different technological approach was utilized. These reports claim the operation incorporated the use of 16 GPS-guided precision munitions. These advanced munitions were reportedly launched from MQ-9 drone platforms, which took off from maritime staging areas within the Gulf.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Peter Hegset, who assumed the title of Secretary of War following a departmental name change in September 2025, voiced his full endorsement of the mission. Furthermore, Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf Tuggar confirmed that the strikes proceeded only after receiving prior knowledge and explicit approval from Nigerian President Bola Tinubu. Tuggar emphasized that the operation was a collaborative effort and was not aimed at any specific religious group, highlighting Nigeria’s inherently multi-faith composition.

This decisive action followed a move by the Trump administration in November 2025, when Nigeria was designated a 'country of particular concern' due to persistent religious violence within its borders. The targets were believed to be elements of either the Islamic State in the Sahel Province (ISSP) or the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). The Sokoto State government welcomed the joint strike, clarifying that the focus was specifically on ISWAP and associated ISIS militants operating near the Tangaza area. Preliminary assessments from the state indicated no civilian casualties resulted from the strikes.

AFRICOM Commander, General Dagwin Anderson, underscored the robust partnership maintained with Nigerian and other regional allies throughout the planning and execution phases. However, some observers, such as Caleb Weiss of the FDD's Long War Journal, point out that militant activity in the region bordering Niger is often attributed to the ISIS branch known as the Islamic State-Sahel Province (ISSP). Conversely, some influential Nigerian religious figures, notably Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of Sokoto, voiced opposition to the strikes, arguing that violence cannot serve as a remedy for violence.

These recent military maneuvers fit into the broader context of U.S. military engagements throughout 2025. The airstrikes immediately raised questions concerning the applicability of the 1973 War Powers Resolution. Nevertheless, the U.S. reportedly invoked its inherent right to self-defense under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter. This occurred even as President Trump continued to champion a narrative positioning himself as a 'peace president.' In a related development, the U.S. Institute of Peace was officially renamed the 'Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace' in December 2025. Against this backdrop, Ukrainian President Zelensky is scheduled to meet with President Trump on December 28, 2025, to discuss a proposed peace framework.