On December 19, 2025, the United States launched an extensive military operation in Syria, targeting dozens of Islamic State (ISIS) fighters, weapons sites, and infrastructure in retaliation for an attack that killed two American soldiers and a civilian interpreter less than a week prior. The strikes, code-named Operation Hawkeye Strike, marked a forceful response by the Trump administration, signaling both a commitment to defending American personnel abroad and a new era of cooperation with Syria’s recently installed government.
According to Associated Press and USA TODAY, the operation was carried out using a formidable array of military assets, including F-15 Eagle and A-10 Thunderbolt jets, AH-64 Apache helicopters, F-16 fighter jets from Jordan, and HIMARS rocket artillery. U.S. Central Command reported that more than 100 precision munitions were used to strike over 70 ISIS targets across central Syria, specifically in the provinces of Deir ez-Zor and Raqqa, as well as the Jabal al-Amour region near Palmyra. Syrian state television confirmed that the targets included weapons storage sites and ISIS headquarters used to launch operations in the area.
The airstrikes came in direct response to the December 13 ambush near Palmyra, where a gunman—later identified as a member of the Syrian internal security forces suspected of ISIS sympathies—opened fire on a convoy of U.S. and Syrian personnel. The attack claimed the lives of Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard, 29, of Marshalltown, Iowa; Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, 25, of Des Moines, Iowa; and Ayad Mansoor Sakat, a civilian interpreter from Michigan. Three additional U.S. troops were wounded; one has since returned to duty, while the other two remain in stable condition, as reported by the Iowa National Guard.
President Donald Trump, who had met privately with the families of the fallen at Dover Air Force Base earlier in the week, announced the strikes on social media, describing them as a "very serious retaliation" against "murderous terrorists responsible." In a post on Truth Social, Trump declared, "Because of ISIS’s vicious killing of brave American Patriots in Syria, whose beautiful souls I welcomed home to American soil earlier this week in a very dignified ceremony, I am hereby announcing that the United States is inflicting very serious retaliation, just as I promised, on the murderous terrorists responsible." He added a stern warning to ISIS and other potential adversaries: "All terrorists who are evil enough to attack Americans are hereby warned — YOU WILL BE HIT HARDER THAN YOU HAVE EVER BEEN HIT BEFORE IF YOU, IN ANY WAY, ATTACK OR THREATEN THE USA."
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth echoed the president’s sentiments, labeling the campaign a "declaration of vengeance" rather than the start of a new war. "This is not the beginning of a war — it is a declaration of vengeance. The United States of America, under President Trump’s leadership, will never hesitate and never relent to defend our people," Hegseth stated on social media. He further emphasized, "Today, we hunted and we killed our enemies. Lots of them. And we will continue." White House deputy press secretary Anna Kelly underscored the administration’s resolve, saying, "President Trump told the world that the United States would retaliate for the killing of our heroes by ISIS in Syria, and he is delivering on that promise."
The scale of Operation Hawkeye Strike was described by U.S. officials as "large-scale," targeting approximately 70 ISIS positions across central Syria. These included infrastructure, weapons depots, and operational bases. The strikes were coordinated with Syrian government forces, a notable shift following the ouster of Bashar al-Assad and the rise of President Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former rebel leader who has since aligned with the U.S.-led coalition against ISIS. Trump praised al-Sharaa, saying the Syrian leader was "working very hard to bring greatness back to Syria" and was "fully in support" of the American effort. Trump also described al-Sharaa as "extremely angry and disturbed by this attack," highlighting the growing cooperation between the two nations.
Syria’s foreign ministry, in a statement on X, affirmed the country’s commitment to combating ISIS, stating that the recent attack "underscores the urgent necessity of strengthening international cooperation to combat terrorism in all its forms" and pledging to "continue to intensify military operations against [ISIS] wherever it poses a threat." The ministry added that Syria is dedicated to ensuring ISIS has "no safe havens on Syrian territory."
The December 13 attack was particularly jarring, not only for its lethality but also for its perpetrator: a security guard who had joined Syria’s internal security forces just two months prior and was suspected of ISIS sympathies. According to Interior Ministry spokesperson Nour al-Din al-Baba, the attacker had recently been reassigned due to these suspicions. He stormed a meeting between U.S. and Syrian officials and opened fire after a confrontation with Syrian guards. The assailant was killed at the scene.
In the aftermath, ISIS claimed responsibility for two additional attacks on Syrian security forces, including one in Idlib province that killed four Syrian soldiers. The group, which once controlled vast swathes of territory across Syria and Iraq, has operated as an underground insurgency since losing its final stronghold in Baghuz Fawqani in 2019. According to U.S. Central Command, ISIS claimed at least 153 attacks in the first half of 2024 and was "on pace to more than double the total number of attacks they claimed in 2023." Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of Central Command, stated, "This operation is critical to preventing ISIS from inspiring terrorist plots and attacks against the U.S. homeland. We will continue to relentlessly pursue terrorists who seek to harm Americans and our partners across the region."
The fallen American soldiers were part of the 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division—an Iowa National Guard unit deployed to the Middle East since May 2025 for Operation Inherent Resolve. Their mission: to advise and assist local forces in defeating ISIS. The dignified transfer ceremony at Dover Air Force Base, attended by President Trump, Defense Secretary Hegseth, and military officials, was a somber reminder of the ongoing risks faced by U.S. personnel abroad.
Since the December 13 attack, U.S. and Syrian forces have conducted ten joint operations in Syria and Iraq, resulting in the death or capture of 23 terrorist operatives. Over the past six months, American and partner forces have carried out 80 operations targeting ISIS, according to military leaders. Despite shifting some military resources to focus on the Western Hemisphere, the U.S. maintains about 1,000 troops in Syria, underscoring its continued commitment to the anti-ISIS campaign.
Operation Hawkeye Strike stands as a stark message to ISIS and other extremist groups: attacks on American personnel will be met with overwhelming force, and the United States will not hesitate to defend its people—no matter where the threat arises.
