US carries out 'massive' strike against IS in Syria

In response to a deadly IS ambush that killed two US soldiers and a civilian interpreter, the US military carried out a "massive strike" against Islamic State (IS) targets in central Syria on Friday. Operation Hawkeye Strike involved US fighter jets, attack helicopters, artillery, and aircraft from Jordan, employing over 100 precision munitions against more than 70 targets. The US Central Command (Centcom) stated the operation targeted known IS infrastructure and weapons sites. While President Trump claimed the Syrian government supported the strike, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported IS positions near Raqqa and Deir ez Zor were targeted. The US has vowed to relentlessly pursue terrorists who harm Americans and their partners.

Following the killing of two US soldiers and an interpreter in Palmyra, Syria, President Trump announced that the US military launched large-scale attacks against ISIL strongholds in Syria on Friday, December 20, 2025. According to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the operation, named "Hawkeye Strike," targeted ISIL fighters, infrastructure, and weapons sites. Syrian government officials, formed after the fall of Bashar al-Assad, expressed support for the US military operation and reiterated their commitment to combating ISIL. US officials reported that the air strikes hit dozens of ISIL targets across central Syria, deploying fighter jets, attack helicopters, and artillery. Details on the number of casualties were not immediately available.

In response to a recent attack that killed two US soldiers and a civilian interpreter, the US military launched airstrikes against numerous Islamic State targets in central Syria on Friday. The strikes, described as a large-scale response, targeted multiple locations. The initial attack occurred the previous Saturday in Palmyra, where an Islamic State member targeted a convoy of American and Syrian forces. In addition to the fatalities, three other US soldiers were wounded. These retaliatory strikes follow a vow from Donald Trump to respond to the initial attack. The US-led coalition has been conducting operations against Islamic State suspects in Syria, often in conjunction with Syrian security forces.

On December 19, 2025, the United States launched airstrikes against suspected Islamic State (ISIS) targets in central Syria. The strikes, ordered by President Trump, were in response to the deaths of two American soldiers and a U.S. interpreter killed in an attack the previous Saturday. U.S. fighter jets, helicopters, and artillery targeted weapons storage and operational support buildings across several locations. The military action marks a military escalation despite a reduced U.S. troop presence in Syria since the beginning of the year. While no group has claimed responsibility for the initial attack, intelligence suggests ISIS was likely responsible.