Nigeria’s foreign minister says Abuja supplied intelligence that assisted US airstrikes on Islamic State targets in north‑west Nigeria on Christmas Day, and President Bola Tinubu authorised the operation. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth warned further strikes may follow, framing the action as a response to attacks on Christians. The raids drew praise from some Trump supporters while prompting debate at home and abroad. Other items: Zelenskyy plans to meet Trump in Florida; domestic protests and media controversies continue.
Nigeria Says It Supplied Intelligence for US Christmas-Day Airstrikes; Pentagon Signals More Attacks
Damage in Kwara state, Nigeria, after US airstrikes, on 25 December.Photograph: Abdullahi Dare Akogun/Reuters
Nigeria’s foreign minister has confirmed that the Nigerian government provided intelligence that helped the United States carry out airstrikes against Islamic State militants in north‑west Nigeria on Christmas Day. Yusuf Tuggar said Abuja supported the operation and had been in contact with US officials before and after the strikes.
President Donald Trump announced the strikes, saying they targeted Islamic State militants after weeks of condemnation over attacks on Christian communities. Tuggar told reporters he held “extensive” telephone conversations with US officials, including Senator Marco Rubio, both before and after the operation. He added that President Bola Tinubu had given the “go‑ahead” for the raids.
While Tuggar described the campaign as an “ongoing process” that could involve other countries, he stressed the operation was not motivated by religion: “It has nothing to do with a particular religion,” he told the BBC. “It could be any other day — it is to do with attacking terrorists who have been killing Nigerians.”
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth warned of additional action against Islamic State targets in north‑west Nigeria following the strikes. Posting on X, Hegseth said the president had been clear that the killing of innocent Christians “must end”, and added: “The [Pentagon] is always ready… More to come.”
The Christmas‑Day strikes drew praise from many supporters of President Trump, some of whom had urged a forceful response to attacks on Christian communities. Far‑right activist Laura Loomer posted on X praising the operation; her comments were widely shared among pro‑strike voices online and prompted strong criticism from opponents who warned about celebratory language surrounding lethal force.
Other news items in the round-up include a British anti‑disinformation campaigner who says US authorities have warned he may face removal from the country and believes he is being targeted by large tech firms; and Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, preparing to travel to the US for a planned meeting with President Trump in Florida as diplomatic efforts continue on a proposed peace plan.
The bulletin also highlights human‑interest and domestic stories: Janessa Goldbeck, a US Marine veteran, described how simulations and local planning exercises about coups and immigration enforcement suddenly felt real after the election; a grassroots group called “Knitters Against Fascism” protested immigration policy outside an ICE facility in Portland; and observers noted a shift in Mr Trump’s second presidency toward greater emphasis on staff loyalty over frequent firings.
Finally, CBS News editor‑in‑chief Bari Weiss defended her decision to pull a 60 Minutes segment about a notorious prison in El Salvador, saying the network needed to ensure its reporting was comprehensive and fair — a move that drew accusations of censorship from some and support from others.
What happens next: Nigerian and US officials have left open the possibility of further coordinated operations against militant camps. International and domestic reactions are likely to shape diplomatic and political responses in the coming days.
