U.S. And Nigeria Expand Airstrikes On ISIS In Nigeria After Killing Claimed No. 2 Leader
U.S. and Nigerian forces carried out additional kinetic airstrikes against Islamic State fighters in northeastern Nigeria on Monday, May 18, 2026, AFRICOM said, and reported no U.S. or Nigerian casualties.[1]
U.S. forces killed about 20 Islamic State fighters in the strikes, the Wall Street Journal reported.[2] The New York Times described strikes on compounds, training areas and vehicle convoys and gave new details on which U.S. aircraft, munitions and bases supported operations and the U.S.-Nigeria command relationship.[3]
President Donald Trump announced late Friday, May 15, 2026, that U.S. and Nigerian forces had killed Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, whom he called ISIS's second-in-command globally.[1] Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said on Saturday, May 16, 2026, that U.S. troops working with the Armed Forces of Nigeria hunted and killed al-Minuki and other ISIS leaders.[1] U.S. and Nigerian officials said intelligence from the operation that killed al-Minuki fed follow-on targeting of ISIS cells in Nigeria and that removing those militants reduces the group's ability to plan external attacks.[3]
U.S. Central Command struck more than 30 ISIS targets in Syria after a December ambush and again in February, as part of continued pressure on ISIS remnants, Fox News reported.[1]
Show source details & analysis (3 sources)
📌 Key Facts
- AFRICOM said on Monday, May 18, 2026, that U.S. and Nigerian forces conducted additional kinetic airstrikes against ISIS fighters in northeastern Nigeria in coordination with Nigeria's government and that no U.S. or Nigerian forces were harmed (AFRICOM).
- President Donald Trump announced late Friday, May 15, 2026, that U.S. and Nigerian forces had killed Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, whom he described as ISIS's second-in-command globally (President Donald Trump).
- Secretary of War Pete Hegseth confirmed on Saturday, May 16, 2026, that U.S. forces, working with the Armed Forces of Nigeria, killed al-Minuki and other ISIS leaders after hunting him for months (Secretary of War Pete Hegseth).
- The New York Times reported on Monday, May 18, 2026, updated estimates of the number of ISIS fighters killed in the latest waves of strikes and identified specific target types and locations in northeastern Nigeria, such as compounds, training areas and vehicle convoys (The New York Times).
- The New York Times provided more granular information on the U.S. role, including which U.S. aircraft and munitions were used, the bases they operated from, and the command-and-control relationship between U.S. Africa Command and Nigerian forces during the operations (U.S. Africa Command).
- Officials quoted by The New York Times said intelligence from the operation that killed Abu-Bilal al-Minuki fed into follow-on targeting of ISIS cells in Nigeria, and U.S. and Nigerian assessments say the broader strike series diminishes ISIS's ability to plan external attacks that could threaten U.S. or European interests (Abu-Bilal al-Minuki).
- Fox News noted broader context of continued pressure on ISIS remnants, reporting that the U.S. military carried out ten strikes against more than 30 ISIS targets in Syria after a December ambush and that U.S. Central Command conducted multiple strikes against over 30 ISIS targets in February (U.S. Central Command).
📰 Source Timeline (3)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- The article, published Monday, May 18, 2026, provides additional operational details on recent U.S. airstrikes in northeastern Nigeria targeting Islamic State fighters beyond the previously reported May 18 strikes.
- New York Times reporting adds updated estimates of the number of ISIS fighters killed across the latest waves of strikes and describes specific locations and types of targets engaged (such as compounds, training areas, or vehicle convoys) in northeastern Nigeria.
- The story offers more granular information on the U.S. role, including which U.S. aircraft and munitions were used from which bases, and clarifies the command-and-control relationship between U.S. Africa Command and Nigerian forces during the operations.
- Officials quoted in the article give additional characterization of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki’s role inside ISIS and how intelligence from the operation that killed him fed into the follow-on targeting of ISIS cells in Nigeria.
- The piece adds U.S. and Nigerian assessments of the impact of the broader strike series on ISIS’s ability to plan and conduct external operations, including attacks that could threaten U.S. or European interests.
- AFRICOM said on Monday, May 18, 2026, that U.S. and Nigerian forces conducted additional kinetic airstrikes against ISIS fighters in northeastern Nigeria in coordination with Nigeria's government, with no U.S. or Nigerian forces harmed.
- President Donald Trump announced late Friday, May 15, 2026, that U.S. and Nigerian forces had killed Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, whom he described as ISIS's second-in-command globally, in a prior operation in Nigeria.
- Secretary of War Pete Hegseth confirmed on Saturday, May 16, 2026, that U.S. forces, working with the Armed Forces of Nigeria, killed al-Minuki and other ISIS leaders after hunting him for months.
- AFRICOM stated that removing these ISIS militants diminishes the group's capacity to plan attacks threatening the safety and security of the U.S. and its partners.
- Trump wrote on Truth Social that al-Minuki "thought he could hide in Africa" and that he would no longer help plan operations targeting Americans.
- The article notes that the U.S. military also carried out ten strikes against more than 30 ISIS targets in Syria following a December ambush that killed U.S. troops, and that U.S. Central Command conducted multiple strikes against over 30 ISIS targets in Syria in February as part of joint efforts to maintain pressure on ISIS remnants.