BREAKING: Trump announces US strikes on ISIS in Nigeria

To a Fox News alert, President Trump announcing the U.S. military has carried out strikes against ISIS terrorists in the northwest Nigerian region in response to the killing and kidnapping of Christians in the region.

And this comes amid fears of an ISIS resurgence following deadly attacks overseas.

Senior White House correspondent Peter Doocy joining us now from the nation's capital with the latest.

Good morning, Peter. Good morning. The Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, is saying his department is always ready and that ISIS found that out on Christmas. The Commander-in-Chief, President Trump's official word

on this came via Truth Social in a post that says, "'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. This follows a handful of ISIS linked or ISIS inspired attacks that rattled the whole world this holiday season, including two Iowa National Guard members killed in Syria. That was Staff Sergeant William Nathaniel Howard and Staff Sergeant Edgar Brian Torres-Tavar, and then a pair of incidents targeting Christians in Nigeria at a church on November 18th, and then the kidnapping of 315 St. Mary's students in Nigeria

who have all now been fully accounted for. The Bondi Beach terrorists are also believed to have ISIS links and when you look at this President Donald Trump for a lot of his second term when he talks about the United States military might, he refers back to his first term when he ordered a huge campaign against ISIS that basically took ISIS out globally for years and so this is not something the Trump administration wants to see

bubble back up which is why we are we are getting word about a an overwhelming campaign, military campaign in Africa overnight back to you. Yeah, Peter

It's notable when a major military move takes place on a holiday Do you think that the symbolism of protecting Christians on Christmas factored into this timing?

Knowing President Trump. Yes, and You know, he's got Raisin C came as the chairman of the joint chiefs he is the person the president trump credits with coming up with the idea of uh... it basically the way that they quickly and decisively took out by sis in his first term that president always tells the story about how

he's getting a briefing from some military advisors and they said it was going to take months or years to take out ISIS. He talked to Dan Cain who is now the chairman of the Joint Chiefs and he came up with a way to do it in weeks or months and then that was that. And so yes, the the symbolism of doing this on Christmas should not be ignored.

Hey Peter, is there any indication that there will be more dialogue between the White House and the Nigerian president? I mean, remember, over the past year, we've seen Nigeria's leadership sort of downplaying that there's a problem there

when we've obviously seen what's unfolding in Nigeria. And now this strike sort of coming on a surprise level. Do we anticipate further engagement, any meetings set?

We don't have any word about any kind of engagement like that, like you're asking about. And based on President Trump's statement, it would seem like President Trump isn't really eager to engage until ISIS terrorists are basically out of the equation.

Peter, you and I have had a chance to cover the White House for quite some time. I'm just curious, in your experience, have you seen anything like this? Is this atypical from your perspective?

And what, if anything, might we expect to happen beyond what has already transpired? No, this would be consistent with President Trump's MO, which is to address the the threats that global terrorists pose without putting American troops in on the ground. There were obviously troops in harm's way while they were carrying out this this attack last night on the ISIS terrorists and there is no reason to think that anybody had any injuries on the U.S. side. But President Trump's M.O. is use American military might from as far away as possible

and not put any more American boots on the ground, which is what happened last night.

Yeah, and the fact that he carried out these attacks in coordination with the Nigerian government is key. Exactly. And as you said, one of his greatest achievements was crushing the Islamic State caliphate in his first term, and he's not going to let it bubble up again. That is for sure.

Peter Doocy, live for us in Washington. Peter, thank you.

Thanks, Peter.

Thanks, Peter. And take a look at this comment from UN Ambassador Mike Walz. He posted Merry Christmas to the Christians in Nigeria and around the world who know tonight that the President of the United States will fight for them.

I'm Steve Doocy.

I'm Brian Kilmeade.

And I'm Ainsley Earhart. And click here to subscribe to the Fox News YouTube page to catch our hottest interviews And click here to subscribe to the Fox News YouTube page to catch our hottest interviews and most compelling analysis.