IRIA News

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The United States has launched a large-scale military operation against the Islamic State (ISIS) in central Syria, striking more than 70 targets in response to a deadly December 13 ambush that killed two U.S. service members and an American civilian interpreter.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that the operation began on December 19 at the direction of President Donald Trump, targeting ISIS fighters, infrastructure, and weapons storage sites across central Syria.

The campaign, designated Operation Hawkeye Strike, marks one of the most significant U.S. kinetic responses against ISIS in Syria in recent years and underscores Washington’s renewed willingness to employ overwhelming force in response to attacks on American personnel.

The strikes followed intense political and military pressure for retaliation after the deaths of U.S. troops near Palmyra, an area that remains a focal point of Islamic State activity despite the group’s territorial defeat in 2019.

Operation Hawkeye Strike

According to CENTCOM, Operation Hawkeye Strike involved coordinated air and ground fires across multiple locations in central Syria. U.S. and partner forces struck more than 70 ISIS targets, employing over 100 precision-guided munitions.

The operation utilized a wide range of military assets, including fighter jets, attack helicopters, and artillery. The Jordanian Armed Forces also participated, providing fighter aircraft in support of the operation, highlighting continued regional cooperation against ISIS.

Tonight, U.S. and Jordanian forces struck 70+ ISIS targets in Syria with 100+ precision munitions. Peace through strength. pic.twitter.com/XWWvfqBBFT

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) December 20, 2025

CENTCOM commander Admiral Brad Cooper emphasized the strategic intent behind the operation, stating, “This operation is critical to preventing ISIS from inspiring terrorist plots and attacks against the U.S. homeland.”

He added, “We will continue to relentlessly pursue terrorists who seek to harm Americans and our partners across the region.”

U.S. Central Command later confirmed that the strikes targeted known ISIS infrastructure and weapons sites, with U.S. officials stating that dozens of targets were hit across central Syria, including arms depots and operational hubs.

‘Massive Strike’ Following American Casualties

The military action followed a week of escalating rhetoric and warnings from U.S. leadership after ISIS-linked violence claimed American lives. U.S. officials described the operation as a “massive” retaliatory strike, underscoring its scale and intent.

U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced the operation publicly, writing on social media, “Earlier today, U.S. forces commenced OPERATION HAWKEYE STRIKE in Syria to eliminate ISIS fighters, infrastructure, and weapons sites in direct response to the attack on U.S. forces that occurred on December 13th in Palmyra, Syria.”

CENTCOM forces launched fighter jets, attack helicopters and other assets to conduct the large-scale strike. pic.twitter.com/3szSo2u5rm

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) December 19, 2025

Hegseth framed the strikes in stark terms, adding that “This is not the beginning of a war — it is a declaration of vengeance. The United States of America, under President Trump’s leadership, will never hesitate and never relent to defend our people.”

The strikes were reportedly carried out by U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles and A-10C Thunderbolts, supported by U.S. Army helicopters and artillery rocket systems, delivering sustained firepower against ISIS positions.

Operation Hawkeye Strike signals a clear shift toward rapid, high-intensity retaliation rather than limited, symbolic responses. The operation also highlights growing U.S.-Jordanian military coordination and evolving U.S.-Syrian engagement, particularly following Syria’s recent entry into the U.S.-led coalition against ISIS.

For Washington, the strikes serve three purposes: degrading ISIS capabilities, deterring future attacks on U.S. personnel, and reinforcing the administration’s stated policy that attacks on Americans will be met with decisive force.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the Syrian government fully supported the U.S. strikes “against ISIS strongholds,” describing the region as a “place soaked in blood which has many problems” due to the terror group’s continued presence.

“Because of ISIS’s vicious killing of brave American Patriots in Syria… I am hereby announcing that the United States is inflicting very severe retaliation, just as I promised, on the murderous terrorists responsible,” Trump posted on social media on Friday night.

Palmyra Attack on US Soldiers

The U.S. strikes were conducted in response to a deadly ambush that occurred on December 13, 2025, in the Palmyra area of central Syria. Two U.S. soldiers from the Iowa National Guard and an American civilian interpreter were killed during what U.S. officials described as a counter-terrorism engagement.

The attack claimed the lives of Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard, 29, Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, 25, and interpreter Ayad Mansoor Sakat. Three additional U.S. service members were wounded, along with two Syrian military personnel.

According to reports, U.S. personnel were conducting a key leader engagement in support of counter-terrorism operations when the ambush occurred. U.S. Central Command described the incident as the result of an ambush by a lone ISIS gunman in an area where the Syrian president does not have control.

Soon after the attack, U.S. President Donald Trump described the incident as an ISIS attack and pledged severe retaliation. Trump also paid tribute to the three Americans killed, calling them “great patriots,” and vowed that the United States would respond decisively against the terrorists responsible for the attack in Syria.

ISIS Threat and U.S. Military Presence in Syria

Despite its territorial defeat in 2019, ISIS remains a persistent threat in Syria and Iraq. The United Nations estimates the group retains between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters, primarily operating in desert regions such as central Syria.

U.S. forces have been deployed in Syria since 2015, operating mainly in the Kurdish-controlled northeast and at the Al-Tanf garrison near the Jordanian border. The Palmyra region has long been contested, with ISIS cells exploiting governance gaps and vast terrain to stage attacks.

The recent ambush marked the deadliest attack on U.S. personnel in Syria since 2019, underscoring the enduring risks faced by American forces conducting counter-ISIS missions.

Last month, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa met President Trump at the White House in a visit described by Damascus as marking a new phase in relations. Syria recently joined the US-led international coalition to combat the Islamic State and pledged closer cooperation with Washington. The coalition was formed in 2014 to counter the group’s expansion across Syria and Iraq.