US Conducts Strikes Against Islamic State in Syria Following Attack on American Forces

The United States military has conducted a large-scale strike against the Islamic State (IS) group in central Syria. This action follows a recent attack in which American personnel were killed and injured.\n\n### Military Operation Details\nFighter jets, attack helicopters, and artillery were utilized to target multiple IS sites. US officials confirmed the involvement of US and Jordanian aircraft in the operation, which was named 'Operation Hawkeye Strike.'\n\nUS Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth stated the operation's objective was to eliminate IS fighters, infrastructure, and weapons sites. US Central Command (Centcom) also confirmed the commencement of a large-scale strike.\n\nThe UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that IS positions near Raqqa and Deir ez Zor were targeted, resulting in the deaths of a prominent IS leader and several fighters. IS has not issued a public comment regarding these strikes.\n\n### Official Statements\nOn X, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth described the action as "not the beginning of a war," but a "declaration of vengeance." He further stated that the United States would "never hesitate and never relent to defend our people," and issued a warning that those who target Americans would be pursued.\n\n### Background to the Strike\nThe strikes occurred in response to an ambush last week in Palmyra, central Syria. In this incident, two US soldiers and a US civilian interpreter were killed, and three other US soldiers were injured. A Pentagon official indicated the ambush took place in an area not under Syrian government control.\n\nCentcom previously stated that an IS gunman carried out the Palmyra attack and was subsequently killed. However, the SOHR reported the attacker was a member of the Syrian security forces. No group has officially claimed responsibility for the Palmyra ambush, and the identity of the gunman has not been released.\n\n### IS Presence in Syria\nWhile a US-backed alliance of Syrian fighters announced IS had lost its last territorial holdings in Syria in 2019, the group has continued to conduct isolated attacks. The United Nations estimates that IS still maintains between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters across Syria and Iraq.\n\nUS troops have maintained a presence in Syria since 2015, primarily to assist in training other forces as part of ongoing counter-IS operations.