The United States military carried out large-scale strikes against Syria on Saturday as part of Operation Hawkeye Strike, nearly a month after two American soldiers were killed in an ISIS ambush.
US declares Syria strike
The Central Command of the US forces took to X, detailing the strikes. They wrote, "Today, at approximately 12:30 p.m. Eastern Time, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces, alongside partner forces, conducted large-scale strikes against multiple ISIS targets across Syria."
The statement added, "These strikes are part of Operation Hawkeye Strike, which was launched and announced on Dec. 19, 2025, at the direction of President Trump, in direct response to the deadly ISIS attack on U.S. and Syrian forces in Palmyra, Syria, on Dec. 13, 2025. That ambush, carried out by an ISIS terrorist, resulted in the tragic deaths of two American soldiers and one U.S. civilian interpreter."
Also Read | Will Donald Trump ever order Vladimir Putin’s capture? Here’s what the US President replied
The US Central Command further noted that strikes were carried out against ISIS targets across Syria as part of an ongoing effort to eliminate Islamic terrorism. It was stated that the aim was to prevent future attacks and to protect American and partner forces in the region.
It was added that US and coalition forces remain determined to pursue terrorists who threaten the United States. The message was made clear that anyone who harms US warfighters will be found and killed anywhere in the world, regardless of attempts to escape justice.
Also Read | ‘Will be hitting them very hard’: Donald Trump issues stern warning to Iran against killing protesters
What happened to US soldiers in December?
Two American soldiers, Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, 25, of Des Moines, Iowa, and Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard, 29, of Marshalltown, Iowa, were killed in an ambush attack by ISIS. Ayad Mansoor Sakat, who was working as a civilian interpreter for the US forces, was also killed in the attack.
The UK and France carried out joint strikes in Syria in December on an underground weapons storage site of ISIS. Before the January strikes, the US struck Syria on December 20, 2025.
