WASHINGTON, District of Columbia — U.S. and coalition forces carried out large-scale airstrikes across Syria on Saturday, targeting Islamic State positions in retaliation for a December ambush that killed two U.S. soldiers and a civilian interpreter, according to U.S. Central Command.
CENTCOM said the operation, known as Operation Hawkeye Strike and directed by President Donald Trump, involved more than 90 precision munitions striking over 35 ISIS targets using more than two dozen aircraft. At least seven ISIS militants were killed, and four weapons caches were destroyed, the command said.
The strikes followed a Dec. 13 ambush near Palmyra, Syria, in which U.S. Army Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres Tovar, Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard, and a U.S. civilian interpreter were killed. CENTCOM said the mission was intended to disrupt ISIS’s ability to plan attacks and to protect U.S. and partner forces operating in the region.
Aircraft involved reportedly included F-15E Strike Eagles, A-10 attack aircraft, AC-130J gunships, MQ-9 drones, and Jordanian F-16s. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the operation was not the start of a broader war but a direct response to the deadly ambush, emphasizing that U.S. forces would continue targeting those responsible.
CENTCOM said the latest strikes build on a series of missions conducted in late December, including a Dec. 19 operation that hit more than 70 ISIS targets. About 1,000 U.S. troops remain stationed in Syria as ISIS continues low-level operations, primarily in the country’s northeast.
Sources:
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BBC News – MBFC Rating
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U.S. Central Command – Unrated
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