US launches fresh strikes on ISIS in Syria after deadly Palmyra ambush

The strikes, conducted around 12:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, targeted multiple IS positions across Syria, according to US Central Command (CENTCOM).

The operation was carried out jointly with partner forces, though US officials did not specify which partners were involved.

Saturday’s action is part of a broader US military response ordered by President Donald Trump after the Palmyra attack, which killed Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard—both members of the Iowa National Guard—and civilian interpreter Ayad Mansoor Sakat.

“Our message remains strong: if you harm our warfighters, we will find you and kill you anywhere in the world, no matter how hard you try to evade justice,” CENTCOM said in a statement.

The Trump administration has named the campaign Operation Hawkeye Strike. It began on December 19 with an earlier wave of airstrikes that hit about 70 Islamic State targets across central Syria, including weapons depots and infrastructure.

A day before the latest strikes, Syrian authorities announced the arrest of the military leader overseeing IS operations in the Levant, signaling increased pressure on the extremist group.

For years, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have been Washington’s primary partner in the fight against IS.

However, since the ouster of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, the US has increasingly coordinated counter-terrorism operations with Syria’s central government in Damascus.

Syria has recently joined the global coalition against the Islamic State, marking a significant shift in regional cooperation against the group.