Dozens of Islamic State (ISIS) targets were hit in Syria by the United States military in an attack launched in retaliation for an attack on US military personnel. The US government has confirmed the strikes, NDTV reported. After a suspected ISIS member had struck US military personnel last weekend, President Donald Trump had promised retaliation.
US War Secretary Pete Hegseth said the strikes targeted ISIS fighters, infrastructure, and weapons facilities, adding that the operation was named "Operation Hawkeye Strike." He emphasised that the action did not mark the start of a war but was done as an act of retaliation, and said US forces had killed many of their enemies and would continue to do so.
The attack on US military
Two US Army soldiers and a civilian interpreter were killed after an attacker hit a convoy of American and Syrian forces in the central Syrian town of Palmyra, the US military said. The attacker was later shot dead, while three other US soldiers were injured in the attack.
The two US soldiers killed in the attack have been identified as 29-year-old Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard, and 25-year-old Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres Tovar.
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In recent months, the US-led coalition has carried out airstrikes and ground operations in Syria against suspected Islamic State members, often in coordination with Syrian security forces. Around 1,000 US troops are still deployed in the country, NDTV reported.
The Syria strike
The Syrian Interior Ministry said the attacker was a member of the country's security forces who was suspected of being sympathetic to the Islamic State. US President Donald Trump later vowed "very serious retaliation" in response to the attack, while noting that Syrian forces were operating alongside American troops.
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An official told The Associated Press that the operation used F-15 Eagle fighter jets, A-10 Thunderbolt ground-attack aircraft, and AH-64 Apache helicopters, and said that more strikes were likely.
The Jordanian Armed Forces confirmed on Saturday that it had taken part in the strikes, saying the action was aimed at preventing extremist groups from threatening the security of Syria's neighbours, particularly after the Islamic State had rebuilt its capabilities in southern Syria.
