Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voiced strong support for President Donald Trump's US airstrikes on ISIS terrorists in Sokoto State, Nigeria, framing it as a vital stand against Christian persecution worldwide. At a Mar-a-Lago press conference on December 30, 2025, Netanyahu pointed to Trump, declaring, "In your efforts, we back completely, because Christian communities are beleaguered around the world. We stand for the same thing".
Trump ordered the precision hits on Christmas Day as a deliberate "Christmas gift" to the militants, delaying action for symbolic weight amid reports of attacks on Nigerian Christians. Netanyahu echoed his own Christmas message vowing zero tolerance for such violence in Nigeria, Syria, and the Middle East.
"Not only the Jews, other minorities, especially the Christians, should be protected," Netanyahu stressed, highlighting shared values in shielding vulnerable groups from extremism. The endorsement signals tightening US-Israel ties under Trump, extending to African security hotspots like Nigeria's northwest.
The Sokoto operation follows US "Hawkeye Strike" efforts scattering ISIS affiliates southward, with Amotekun arrests underscoring spillover risks. Nigerian officials confirmed cooperation, as the strikes bolster Tinubu's counter-terror push amid domestic debates on military reliance.