US Launches Fresh Airstrikes on ISIS Targets in Syria After Deadly Palmyra Ambush

US Launches Fresh Airstrikes on ISIS Targets in Syria After Deadly Palmyra Ambush

The United States has carried out another round of retaliatory airstrikes against Islamic State (ISIS) positions in Syria, escalating its military response to last month’s ambush in Palmyra that killed two American soldiers and a US civilian interpreter.

According to US Central Command (CENTCOM), the large-scale strikes were conducted around 12:30 p.m. ET on Saturday in coordination with partner forces. The operation targeted multiple ISIS locations across Syria, striking what the military described as key infrastructure and operational sites.

The latest action forms part of a wider campaign ordered by President Donald Trump following the attack that claimed the lives of Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard, and civilian interpreter Ayad Mansoor Sakat. All three were killed during an ISIS assault in the historic desert city of Palmyra last month.

“Our message remains strong: if you harm our warfighters, we will find you and kill you anywhere in the world, no matter how hard you try to evade justice,” CENTCOM said in a statement released on Saturday.

A day before the strikes, Syrian authorities announced the arrest of the senior ISIS commander overseeing the group’s military operations in the Levant, a development that coincided with the intensified US military activity.

While the Pentagon confirmed that Saturday’s strikes were carried out alongside partner forces, it did not disclose which allies were involved.

The Trump administration has named its response to the Palmyra attack Operation Hawkeye Strike. Both Torres-Tovar and Howard were serving members of the Iowa National Guard.

The operation began on December 19 with a major wave of airstrikes that hit around 70 ISIS-linked targets across central Syria, including weapons depots and logistical hubs.

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For years, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) served as Washington’s primary partner in combating ISIS inside Syria. However, following the removal of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, US coordination has increasingly shifted toward Syria’s central government in Damascus.

Syria has since joined the global coalition against ISIS, marking a significant change in regional cooperation as efforts continue to dismantle the group’s remaining networks.

The United States has carried out another round of retaliatory airstrikes against Islamic State (ISIS) positions in Syria, escalating its military response to last month’s ambush in Palmyra that killed two American soldiers and a US civilian interpreter.

According to US Central Command (CENTCOM), the large-scale strikes were conducted around 12:30 p.m. ET on Saturday in coordination with partner forces. The operation targeted multiple ISIS locations across Syria, striking what the military described as key infrastructure and operational sites.

The latest action forms part of a wider campaign ordered by President Donald Trump following the attack that claimed the lives of Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard, and civilian interpreter Ayad Mansoor Sakat. All three were killed during an ISIS assault in the historic desert city of Palmyra last month.

“Our message remains strong: if you harm our warfighters, we will find you and kill you anywhere in the world, no matter how hard you try to evade justice,” CENTCOM said in a statement released on Saturday.

A day before the strikes, Syrian authorities announced the arrest of the senior ISIS commander overseeing the group’s military operations in the Levant, a development that coincided with the intensified US military activity.

While the Pentagon confirmed that Saturday’s strikes were carried out alongside partner forces, it did not disclose which allies were involved.

The Trump administration has named its response to the Palmyra attack Operation Hawkeye Strike. Both Torres-Tovar and Howard were serving members of the Iowa National Guard.

The operation began on December 19 with a major wave of airstrikes that hit around 70 ISIS-linked targets across central Syria, including weapons depots and logistical hubs.

For years, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) served as Washington’s primary partner in combating ISIS inside Syria. However, following the removal of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, US coordination has increasingly shifted toward Syria’s central government in Damascus.

Syria has since joined the global coalition against ISIS, marking a significant change in regional cooperation as efforts continue to dismantle the group’s remaining networks.

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