US forces strike Islamic State targets in Syria

The United States and its partner forces have carried out extensive airstrikes against Islamic State (IS) group targets in Syria, US officials said, describing the operation as a response to a deadly attack on American forces last month.

According to US Central Command (Centcom), the strikes were ordered by president Donald Trump on Saturday under Operation Hawkeye Strike, launched after an IS ambush on 13 December in Palmyra that killed two US soldiers and a civilian interpreter.

Centcom said the operation aims to degrade IS capabilities and protect US and allied troops in the region.

An official told US media that more than 90 precision-guided munitions were used against over 35 targets, with more than 20 aircraft involved.

The aircraft reportedly included F-15E and A-10 fighter jets, AC-130J gunships, MQ-9 drones and Jordanian F-16s. Details about the exact locations of the strikes and possible casualties were not immediately available.

Centcom said the message to militant groups was clear, warning that any attack on US personnel would be met with decisive action.

US defense secretary Pete Hegseth echoed that stance, saying Washington would not relent in pursuing those who target American forces.

Operation Hawkeye Strike was first announced in December. Since then, US forces have killed or captured nearly 25 IS members in multiple missions, Centcom said.

The initial phase included large-scale strikes on dozens of IS sites across central Syria.

Although IS has been significantly weakened in Syria, it remains active, particularly in attacks against Kurdish-led forces in the northeast, amid ongoing instability following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s government late last year.