The United States launched a massive military strike against Islamic State (ISIS) targets in Syria after a deadly ambush in Palmyra killed two American soldiers and a civilian interpreter, with US Central Command saying more than 70 locations were hit using fighter jets, helicopters, artillery, and over 100 precision-guided weapons, as President Donald Trump said the action was strong retaliation against the group’s strongholds and warned that anyone who targets Americans will face relentless pursuit.
According to the US military, the strikes were meant to retaliate against IS for killing American forces and to weaken the group’s remaining presence in Syria.
Over 70 ISIS Targets Hit Across Central Syria
The US Central Command (Centcom) said the operation involved fighter jets, attack helicopters, and artillery units. These forces “struck more than 70 targets at multiple locations across central Syria”. Centcom added that aircraft from Jordan also took part in the mission. More than 100 precision-guided weapons were used to hit known IS weapons depots, training areas, and infrastructure.
Operation Hawkeye Strike Launched Friday Evening
In a post on X, Centcom announced that the operation, called Operation Hawkeye Strike, began at 16:00 Eastern Time (21:00 GMT) on Friday. Centcom, which oversees US military missions in Europe, Africa, and the Indo-Pacific, said the operation was carefully planned and targeted.
What is Operation Hawkeye Strike?
Operation Hawkeye Strike is a military operation launched by the United States against the Islamic State (ISIS) in Syria on Friday, December 19, 2025. The strikes were a direct and “very serious retaliation” for a deadly ISIS ambush on December 13, 2025, in Palmyra that killed three Americans
Trump Orders Strong Retaliation After Deadly Ambush
President Donald Trump said the US was responding forcefully to the attack that killed two American soldiers and a US civilian interpreter in the Syrian city of Palmyra on 13 December.
He said, “we are striking very strongly” against IS strongholds. Later, posting on Truth Social, Trump said the US “is inflicting very serious retaliation, just as I promised, on the murderous terrorists responsible”. He also claimed that the Syrian government was “fully in support”.
US Military Vows To Keep Hunting Terrorists
Centcom commander Admiral Brad Cooper said the US would not back down.
He stated that the military “will continue to relentlessly pursue terrorists who seek to harm Americans and our partners across the region”.US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth used even stronger language, describing the operation as revenge rather than a new war.
“This is not the beginning of a war – it is a declaration of vengeance,” he said. He warned, “If you target Americans – anywhere in the world – you will spend the rest of your brief, anxious life knowing the United States will hunt you, find you, and ruthlessly kill you.” He added, “Today, we hunted and we killed our enemies. Lots of them. And we will continue.”
ISIS Positions Near Raqqa and Deir ez Zor Hit
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that IS sites near Raqqa and Deir ez Zor were among the targets. It said a senior IS leader and several fighters were killed in the strikes. However, IS has not issued any public statement, and the BBC said it could not independently confirm the details.
Conflicting Claims Over Palmyra Attack
Centcom earlier said the Palmyra attack was carried out by an IS gunman, who was later “engaged and killed”. Three other US soldiers were injured in the ambush. A Pentagon official said the incident took place “in an area where the Syrian president does not have control. However, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights claimed the attacker was actually a member of the Syrian security forces. No group has officially claimed responsibility, and the attacker’s identity has not been made public.
ISIS Still Active Despite Loss of Territory
In 2019, a US-backed coalition declared that IS had lost the last territory it controlled in Syria. Despite this, the group has continued to carry out attacks. The United Nations estimates that IS still has between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters spread across Syria and Iraq.
US Military Presence and Syria’s Changing Role
US troops have been stationed in Syria since 2015 to help train local forces as part of the campaign against IS. Recently, Syria joined an international coalition to fight IS and promised to cooperate with the US.
In November, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, whose coalition overthrew Bashar al-Assad in 2024, met President Trump at the White House. He described the meeting as the start of a “new era” in relations between the two countries.
