US Launches Major Retaliation Against Daesh in Syria, Officials Say

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The United States has approximately 1,000 military personnel stationed in Syria. Recent retaliatory strikes were carried out following an attack on U.S. forces. President Donald Trump indicated that the Syrian president supports U.S. military actions against Daesh.

On Friday, the U.S. military launched extensive airstrikes against numerous Daesh targets in Syria, responding to an assault on American troops. The coalition led by the United States has previously conducted airstrikes and ground operations in Syria, often involving Syrian security forces targeting Daesh militants.

President Trump promised to respond firmly after a suspected Daesh attack resulted in casualties among U.S. personnel the previous weekend. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that the operation, dubbed “OPERATION HAWKEYE STRIKE,” targeted Daesh fighters, their infrastructure, and weapons sites. He stated, “This is not the start of a war—it’s a declaration of vengeance. Today, we hunted and eliminated our enemies. Many of them. And our efforts will continue.”

Trump shared on social media that the Syrian government fully supports the strikes and that the U.S. is executing “very serious retaliation.” According to an official, the strikes targeted more than 70 locations across central Syria using F-15 and A-10 aircraft, along with Apache helicopters and HIMARS rocket systems.

Syria reaffirmed its commitment to combating Islamic State and ensuring that the group has no safe havens on its territory. The Syrian Foreign Ministry issued a statement emphasizing this stance.

Last Saturday, the U.S. lost two soldiers and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra when an attacker targeted a convoy of American and Syrian forces before being shot dead. Three other U.S. soldiers were wounded in the attack. Approximately 1,000 U.S. troops remain in Syria.

The Syrian Interior Ministry identified the attacker as a member of the Syrian security forces accused of sympathizing with Daesh. The current Syrian government, led by former rebels who ousted Bashar al-Assad last year, includes members from Syria’s former Al-Qaeda branch, which has split from the group and clashed with Daesh.

Syria has been collaborating with the U.S.-led coalition against Daesh, reaching an agreement last month during a visit to the White House by President Ahmed al-Sharaa.