WASHINGTON — The United States said it carried out a large-scale military operation against the Islamic State (IS) group in Syria, striking more than 70 targets in response to a deadly ambush that killed two American soldiers and a U.S. civilian interpreter earlier this month.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said the operation, dubbed Operation Hawkeye Strike, involved fighter jets, attack helicopters and artillery, with aircraft from Jordan also participating.
The strikes targeted IS infrastructure, weapons depots and operational sites across central Syria, employing more than 100 precision-guided munitions.
The operation began at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time (21:00 GMT) on Friday, according to CENTCOM, which oversees U.S. military operations in the Middle East and beyond.
President Donald Trump said the strikes fulfilled his pledge of “very serious retaliation” following the Dec. 13 attack in Palmyra, where U.S. forces came under fire.
“We are striking very strongly against ISIS strongholds,” Trump said, adding that the Syrian government was “fully in support” of the operation.
CENTCOM commander Admiral Brad Cooper said U.S. forces would “continue to relentlessly pursue terrorists who seek to harm Americans and our partners across the region.”
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth described the strikes as a direct response to the killing of Americans. “This is not the beginning of a war — it is a declaration of vengeance,” he said.
“If you target Americans anywhere in the world, the United States will hunt you, find you, and ruthlessly kill you.”
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that IS positions near Raqqa and Deir ez Zor were among the targets, adding that a senior IS leader and several fighters were killed.
CENTCOM previously said the Palmyra attack was carried out by an IS gunman who was killed during the incident. Three other U.S. soldiers were wounded. However, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights claimed the attacker was a member of Syrian security forces. No group has officially claimed responsibility, and the identity of the gunman has not been released.
The U.S. military has maintained a presence in Syria since 2015 as part of an international campaign against IS. Although the group lost its last territorial stronghold in Syria in 2019, the United Nations estimates it still has between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters operating in Syria and Iraq.
Syria recently joined the international coalition fighting IS and has pledged closer cooperation with Washington.
In November, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa met President Trump at the White House, describing the visit as the start of a “new era” in relations between the two countries. — Agencies
