President Trump says US launched strike on ISIS terrorists in Nigeria

President Donald Trump said in a post on his social media platform Thursday that he launched a "powerful and deadly strike" on ISIS terrorists in Nigeria, whom he claimed have been "targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians."

This comes after the president posted a video inearly Novemberthreatening to go into Nigeria "guns-a-blazing."Around that time, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth echoed Trump's message and said in aposton X that the Department of Defense was "preparing for action."

"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," Trump added in the post.

It is not yet clear the outcome of that strike or what the exact target was. ABC News has asked the White House for more information.

In a post on X, Hegseth further said there will be "more to come" and expressed his gratitude to the Nigerian government for its support and cooperation.

"The President was clear last month: the killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria (and elsewhere) must end.

"The@DeptofWaris always ready, so ISIS found out tonight -- on Christmas."

Hegseth ended his post with, "Merry Christmas!"

In a post on X, U.S. Africa Command confirmed the strikes, which it said were conducted "in coordination with Nigerian authorities."

The Defense Department also reposted President Trump's statement, along with a brief video clip labeled "unclassified" that shows a missile being launched from a ship, presumably at targets in Nigeria.

The strike against ISIS in Nigeria Thursday comes just days after U.S. strikes were launched against ISIS in Syria, following an attack on U.S. and partner forces in Syria that killed three Americans earlier this month.

Trump in November instructed the Pentagon to prepare for possible action against Nigeria after accusing the Nigerian government of not doing enough to protect Christians from violence.

Asked if there was a possibility of U.S. troops being boots on the ground in the West African country, Trump replied, "Could be."

"They're killing the Christians and killing them in very large numbers,we're not going to allow that to happen," he said.

Days later, the State Department officially updated its designationfor Nigeria as a "Country of Particular Concern" (CPC) for its alleged "severe violations of religious freedom" and persecution of Christians.

Last week, Nigeria was also added to the U.S. travel ban list of countries facing partial restrictions and entry limitations.

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu doesn't deny the violence against Christians in Nigeria, but sayspreviousclaims that Nigeria is religiously intolerant "does not reflect our national reality."

Independent experts say extremist groups have targeted both Muslims and Christians in Nigeria, killing tens of thousands of civilians in recent years.

On ChristmasEve, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu posted on X, saying that he prayed "for peace in our land, especially between individuals of differing religious beliefs."

"I stand committed to doing everything within my power to enshrine religious freedom in Nigeria and to protect Christians, Muslims, and all Nigerians from violence," the post continued.