The United States carried out a strike against Islamic State militants in northwest Nigeria at the request of Nigeria's government, U.S. President Donald Trump and the U.S. military said on Thursday (December 25), claiming the group had been targeting Christians in the region.

"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 even Centuries!," Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

Later on Thursday, the U.S. Department of War posted a video on social media showing a missile launch from a military vessel, echoing the statement previously shared by Trump.

Reuters was not able to independently verify the location or the date when the video was filmed. Upon checking this footage, no old results were found.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

UNIDENTIFIED LOCATION (RELEASED DECEMBER 25, 2025) (U.S. DEPARTMENT OF WAR VIA X - Access all)

1. MISSILE BEING FIRED FROM MILITARY VESSEL

2. WHITE FLASH

3. REPLAY OF FOOTAGE SHOWING A MISSILE BEING FIRED FROM MILITARY VESSEL

INTERNET (DECEMBER 25, 2025) (SOCIAL MEDIA WEBSITE – Access all)(MUTE)

1. PARTIALLY HIGHLIGHTED SCREEN SHOT OF POST BY U.S. PRESIDENT, DONALD TRUMP, ON HIS 'TRUTH SOCIAL' SITE ANNOUNCING THAT THE U.S. MILITARY HAS CARRIED OUT AIRSTRIKES ON 'ISIS' IN NIGERIA, THAT READS (English):

“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 even Centuries! 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. The Department of War executed numerous perfect strikes, as only the United States is capable of doing. Under my leadership, our Country will not allow Radical Islamic Terrorism to prosper. May God Bless our Military, and MERRY CHRISTMAS to all, including the dead Terrorists, of which there will be many more if their slaughter of Christians continues. / DONALD J. TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA”

2.PARTIALLY HIGHLIGHTED SCREEN SHOT OF POST BY U.S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE (CALLED THE SECRETARY OF WAR BY THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION), PETE HEGSETH, ABOUT THE U.S. MILITARY HAS CARRIED OUT AIRSTRIKES ON 'ISIS' IN NIGERIA, THAT READS (English):

"The President was clear last month: the killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria (and elsewhere) must end. The @DeptofWar is always ready, so ISIS found out tonight — on Christmas. More to come… Grateful for Nigerian government support & cooperation. Merry Christmas!"

3. PARTIALLY HIGHLIGHTED SCREEN SHOT OF POST BY U.S. AFRICA COMMAND (AFRICOM) ANNOUNCING THAT THE U.S. MILITARY HAS CARRIED OUT AIRSTRIKES ON 'ISIS' IN NIGERIA, THAT READS (English):

"At the direction of the President of the United States and the Secretary of War, and in coordination with Nigerian authorities, U.S. Africa Command conducted strikes against ISIS terrorists in Nigeria on Dec. 25, 2025, in Sokoto State."