The United States military executed extensive airstrikes against Daesh targets throughout central Syria on Friday, marking a significant retaliatory response to a recent attack that resulted in American casualties. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth characterized the operation as ‘Operation Hawkeye Strike,’ confirming it successfully neutralized enemy fighters, infrastructure, and weapons facilities.
This military action comes directly after a December 13th assault in Palmyra that killed two U.S. Army soldiers and a civilian interpreter, with three additional soldiers wounded. The attacker, reportedly a member of Syrian security forces with suspected Daesh sympathies, was killed during the incident.
President Donald Trump affirmed the strikes during a public address in North Carolina, describing the operation as a ‘massive’ blow against the terrorist organization. The administration emphasized that the Syrian government, now led by former rebels who overthrew Bashar al-Assad after a prolonged civil war, provided full support for the operation.
U.S. Central Command detailed that the comprehensive strikes hit over 70 targets utilizing F-15 and A-10 jets, Apache helicopters, and HIMARS rocket systems. Jordanian fighter jets provided additional support to the mission, highlighting regional cooperation in counterterrorism efforts.
Despite the scale of the operation, Defense Secretary Hegseth clarified that this represents ‘not the beginning of a war, but a declaration of vengeance,’ indicating targeted retaliation rather than escalation. Approximately 1,000 U.S. troops remain deployed in Syria as part of ongoing coalition efforts against Daesh, which have intensified in recent months through combined airstrikes and ground operations with Syrian security forces.