US names national guard members killed in Syria as Trump vows to hit Islamic State ‘hard’

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 3 min read 100% complete by Associated PressDecember 16, 2025 at 06:40 AM

AI Summary

medium article 3 min

Two Iowa National Guard members, Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar and Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard, were killed in an Islamic State (IS) group attack in Syria on Saturday. A US civilian interpreter also died, and three other Guard members were wounded. The attack occurred near Palmyra during a meeting between US and Syrian security officials when a Syrian security force member, suspected of IS affiliation, opened fire. Investigations are underway to determine how the assailant was able to breach security. In response, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds ordered flags to half-staff, and US officials, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and former President Trump, vowed to retaliate against IS. Trump also reaffirmed his support for the Syrian president, stating the attack occurred in an area with limited government control.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Palmyra 80% Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar ×2100% William Nathaniel Howard ×2100% United States ×3100% Islamic State ×2100% Syria ×4100%

Keywords

islamic state 90% syria 80% national guard 70% us military 70% attack 70% us-syria relations 60% military cooperation 50% security breach 50% retaliation 40%