US launches major Syria strike after insider attack that killed American troops

The United States carried out a broad, multi-site strike against Islamic State targets in central Syria on Friday in response to an insider attack that killed three Americans and an interpreter in Palmyra last week. U.S. Central Command said more than 70 ISIS targets were hit across Syria with a mix of air and missile strikes, involving F-15 fighter jets, A-10 Warthogs, Apache helicopters and guided missiles. The operation, named Hawkeye Strike, involved about 100 precision munitions and ten joint operations aimed at ISIS infrastructure and weapons sites.

The Syria-based Observatory for Human Rights said the strikes killed at least five ISIS members in Deir al-Zor province, including the head of a drone operations cell, in what the group described as a significant disruption to ISIS operations in the region. The report could not be independently verified, but it underscored the scope of the government and allied targeting following the Palmyra ambush.

The violence in Syria follows the Dec. 13 ambush in Palmyra, in which three Americans—Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar and Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard of the Iowa National Guard, and interpreter Ayad Mansoor Sakat—were killed after an ISIS gunman opened fire during a patrol. The attack prompted a U.S. response aimed at degrading ISIS capabilities in central Syria, with Jordanian forces participating in the operation along with U.S. service members. U.S. Central Command described the effort as a coordinated strike against ISIS infrastructure and weapons sites as American forces supported a fragile Syrian government that has limited reach and resources.

President Donald Trump, who had attended the dignified transfer of the fallen National Guard members at Dover Air Force Base earlier in the week, pledged retaliation for the Palmyra killings. He described the strikes as precise and very successful and said the United States would restore peace through strength around the world. Central Command later reported that the strikes killed or detained 23 terrorist operatives across the ten joint operations.

The operation comes as Washington continues to back a Syrian government led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa, while striving to prevent Syria from becoming a stable base for terrorism. Officials noted that the Syrian Defense Forces hold roughly 9,000 ISIS prisoners, a factor that complicates operations and underscores the country’s stretched security apparatus as the country remains resource-constrained. A senior administration official said Washington’s aim is a stable, unified Syria that can deter regional threats and support broader regional stability. Jordanian participation and broad international involvement reflect the complexity of the campaign in a theater long dominated by shifting alliances and contested governance.

Analysts and lawmakers cautioned that ISIS has not been eliminated and may be attempting to regroup. Senator Jack Reed, the ranking Democrat on the Armed Services Committee, said the group has shown signs of resuming activity after its earlier decimation. Several Republican lawmakers predicted further reprisals, arguing that the strikes should be part of a sustained effort to degrade ISIS capacity. Others stressed that the broader objective remains supporting a stable, legitimate Syrian government capable of maintaining security and preventing the rise of jihadist safe havens in the region.

In its broader public messaging, the White House reiterated its commitment to preventing Syria from reemerging as a terror hub and to supporting an orderly, stable political process in which a legitimate Syrian government can govern and cooperate with international partners. The emphasis remains on a measured, capable approach designed to deter ISIS resurgence while avoiding a full-scale conflict that could destabilize the region further.