In a dramatic announcement from West Palm Beach, Florida, President Donald Trump declared that the United States had executed a “powerful and deadly strike” against Islamic State militants in Nigeria. This move follows weeks of President Trump condemning the group for its brutal attacks on Christians in the region.

Details regarding the specifics of the military strike, including its execution and impact, remain scant. The White House has yet to provide any further clarification or information on the operation.

On his social media platform, Trump stated, “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!”

In recent months, the President had expressed his intention to take decisive action in Nigeria, instructing the Pentagon to prepare for potential military operations in response to alleged persecution of Christians. This was accompanied by the State Department’s decision to impose visa restrictions on Nigerians implicated in mass violence against Christians and their families.

The United States has also classified Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” under the International Religious Freedom Act, highlighting the severity of the situation in the West African nation.

“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,” Trump wrote in his Christmas night post. He said that U.S. defense officials had “executed numerous perfect strikes, as only the United States is capable of doing.”

The president added: “our Country will not allow Radical Islamic Terrorism to prosper.”