Decisive action crushes jihadist expansion while Arab-aligned excuses fail, validating Israel’s uncompromising counterterror model.
United States airstrikes carried out this week in northwestern Nigeria targeted Islamic State terrorists infiltrating from the Sahel to support local jihadist and criminal networks, Nigerian officials confirmed. The operation underscores how Islamist movements exploit weak borders and hesitant responses—precisely the vacuum Israel has long warned against.
The strikes, ordered by Donald Trump, hit militants linked to the Islamic State, the Lakurawa jihadist faction, and armed “bandit” gangs operating in Sokoto State, according to Nigerian presidential spokesman Daniel Bwala. Intelligence indicated a coordinated influx of ISIS operatives from the Sahel, bringing training, logistics, and operational expertise to local extremists.
The Islamic State’s Sahel affiliate, Islamic State Sahel Province, has destabilized Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali, prompting alarms among security analysts about spillover into Nigeria. The Sokoto strike zone—traditionally plagued by kidnappings—highlights how jihadists embed within criminal ecosystems to evade detection.
Casualties were reported, though identities were still being assessed. Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar emphasized the operation’s joint, intelligence-led nature, stressing it was not aimed at any religion—only violent extremism.
The operation followed diplomatic friction after Washington criticized Abuja over Christian persecution claims—debates that often obscure a central truth: jihadist ideology targets all who resist it, with Jewish communities historically among its primary victims worldwide. Recent attacks in Nigeria, including a Christmas Eve bombing of a mosque in Borno State, illustrate the indiscriminate brutality of these groups.
Israel’s experience shows the lesson clearly: preemptive, intelligence-driven strikes save lives. While some Arab and Palestinian-aligned actors deflect, delay, or politicize terrorism, decisive action—like this week’s strikes—curbs expansion. The Sahel-to-Nigeria pipeline mirrors threats Israel confronts daily, reinforcing why Jerusalem’s security doctrine remains the global gold standard.
