On December 13, 2025, a deadly attack near the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria shattered a period of relative calm for U.S. forces in the region. The ambush, carried out by a lone gunman linked to the Islamic State (IS), claimed the lives of two American soldiers and an interpreter, leaving three other service members wounded. The incident, which unfolded during a meeting of U.S. and Syrian security officials, marked the deadliest assault on American personnel in Syria since 2019, according to CNN and multiple international outlets.
The fallen soldiers were identified as Sergeant Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, 25, of Des Moines, Iowa, and Sergeant William Nathaniel Howard, 29, of Marshalltown, Iowa National Guard. The civilian interpreter, Ayad Mansoor Sakat, hailed from Macomb, Michigan. Their mission, as described by Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell, was part of ongoing counter-ISIS and counter-terrorism operations in the region—efforts that have persisted even as IS lost its territorial grip in Syria and Iraq.
U.S. President Donald Trump, addressing the nation from the White House, did not mince words. "There will be very serious retaliation," he declared, promising a forceful response to what he called "an ISIS attack against the U.S. and Syria, in a very dangerous part of Syria that they do not fully control." Trump emphasized the close cooperation between U.S. and Syrian forces, noting that Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa was "devastated by what happened" and "extremely angry and disturbed by this attack." According to BBC and CNN, this partnership marks a significant shift since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, with al-Sharaa seeking to restore Syria’s standing on the world stage and deepen ties with Washington.
The attack itself was swift and brutal. As recounted by Syrian Interior Ministry spokesperson Nour al-Din al-Baba, a gunman opened fire at the gate of a fortified command facility during a joint tour of coalition and Syrian Internal Security Forces leaders. Syrian authorities are still investigating whether the attacker was a member of IS or simply inspired by its extremist ideology. Al-Baba revealed that Syrian security had issued intelligence warnings to the U.S.-led coalition about possible IS activity in the area, but those warnings, he said, "were not taken into account." The attacker was ultimately killed by return fire from partner forces, but not before inflicting devastating losses.
The aftermath was immediate and tense. U.S. helicopters evacuated the wounded to the Al-Tanf base, a strategic American outpost near the border with Iraq and Jordan. The highway between Deir Ezzor and Damascus was closed, and U.S. combat aircraft were seen overhead, underscoring the gravity of the situation. The Pentagon’s chief spokesperson confirmed that the casualties were rapidly transported to a garrison for urgent medical care.
In the days that followed, President Trump met privately with the families of the fallen at Dover Air Force Base, offering condolences and vowing justice. Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds echoed the nation’s grief, urging Iowans to "stand united in supporting them and lifting them up in prayer during this incredibly difficult time." The Iowa National Guard, which had deployed around 1,800 soldiers to the Middle East in late May 2025 to support Operation Inherent Resolve, was left reeling from the loss.
True to his word, Trump authorized a sweeping military response. On the night of December 20, U.S. forces launched a barrage of airstrikes against more than 70 IS targets across Syria. The operation, dubbed "Hawkeye Strike" by the Pentagon, targeted weapons storage sites and IS headquarters in the provinces of Deir ez-Zor, Raqqa, Homs, and the Jabal al-Amour area near Palmyra. According to reports from AFP and TEMPO.CO, the strikes were carried out using a formidable array of F-15 Eagle fighter jets, A-10 Thunderbolt ground attack aircraft, and AH-64 Apache helicopters.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth took to social media, making the administration’s stance unmistakably clear: "Let it be known, if you target Americans—anywhere in the world—you will spend the rest of your brief, anxious life knowing the United States will hunt you, find you, and ruthlessly kill you." He added, "This is not the beginning of a war—it is a declaration of vengeance. Today, we hunted and we killed our enemies. Lots of them. And we will continue." The Pentagon emphasized that the operation was a direct response to the December 13 attack and not an escalation into broader conflict.
Syrian authorities, for their part, condemned the initial attack and reiterated their commitment to fighting IS. The Foreign Ministry released a statement supporting intensified military operations against the terrorist group and vowing that "there could be no safe havens on Syrian territory" for IS militants. This sentiment reflects the new regime’s efforts to distance itself from the extremist violence that once plagued the country and to demonstrate to the international community its resolve against terrorism.
The U.S. continues to maintain a military presence in Syria, with approximately 1,000 troops stationed across the country as part of the international coalition against IS. These forces operate in coordination with Syrian units, particularly after the regime change that saw Bashar al-Assad ousted and Ahmed al-Sharaa installed as president. The November 2025 visit of President al-Sharaa to the White House, the first such meeting since Syria gained independence from France in 1946, signaled a thawing of relations and a willingness to collaborate on security matters.
Yet, the attack and its aftermath have exposed the persistent dangers facing U.S. personnel in Syria. Despite IS’s loss of territory, its fighters remain active, capable of striking both military and symbolic targets. The incident has also highlighted the challenges of coalition operations in a region where loyalties and threats can shift rapidly—and where intelligence warnings may go unheeded with tragic consequences.
Amid the military maneuvers, President Trump announced a new expansion of the U.S. visa ban list on December 16, 2025, including Syria and several other countries, effective January 1, 2026. He defended the move as a necessary measure to prevent terrorism, referencing its "extremely successful" track record during his first term. This policy decision stands in contrast to the recent warming of U.S.-Syria relations but underscores the administration’s uncompromising approach to national security.
As the dust settles over Palmyra and the international coalition regroups, the events of December 2025 serve as a stark reminder of the ongoing risks in Syria. For the families of Sergeant Torres-Tovar, Sergeant Howard, and Ayad Mansoor Sakat, the losses are personal and profound. For policymakers in Washington and Damascus, the path forward is fraught with both opportunity and peril as they seek to eradicate the last vestiges of IS and forge a more stable future for Syria and the region.
