U.S. launches massive strike on ISIS in Syria after American troops killed
Dozens of targets hit near Palmyra in response to Dec. 13 ambush; officials say operation aims to disrupt ISIS infrastructure.
The United States conducted a large-scale air and ground strike against ISIS targets in central Syria on Friday, in retaliation for the Dec. 13 attack that killed two Iowa National Guard soldiers and an American civilian employee.
The operation, named OPERATION HAWKEYE STRIKE, targeted ISIS fighters and weapons sites in Palmyra, the city where the ambush occurred. The strikes were carried out by U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles and A-10C Thunderbolts, with Army helicopters and artillery rocket systems. U.S. Central Command said the mission was designed to eliminate ISIS infrastructure and weapons sites in direct response to the attack on U.S. forces that day.
Two U.S. officials told Reuters that dozens of ISIS targets were hit across central Syria, and the New York Times cited sources describing a broad sweep against ISIS-linked facilities.
President Donald Trump, posting on Truth Social, said the Syrian government supported the strikes and framed them as part of a promise to retaliate against ISIS. He characterized the operation as a response to the killings and asserted the United States would not hesitate to pursue terrorists who threaten Americans.
The killings on Saturday set off a broader U.S. response. The assailants killed three Americans: Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard, 29, and Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, 25, both Iowa National Guard members, along with Ayad Mansoor Sakat, an interpreter. Three other U.S. soldiers were wounded, along with two Syrian military personnel.
The White House and military officials emphasized that the strike was not viewed as the start of a broader war but as a targeted response to terrorism. The president attended the dignified transfer of the three service members at Dover Air Force Base earlier in the week, underscoring a pledge to pursue those responsible. U.S. officials stressed that the operation remained focused on ISIS targets in Syria and did not announce any broader combat posture beyond the immediate response to the attack.