Syria: The United States has carried out a fresh wave of airstrikes against Islamic State positions in Syria, escalating its military response to a deadly ambush last month that claimed the lives of two American soldiers and a civilian interpreter.
According to US Central Command, the latest strikes were launched around midday Eastern Time and involved coordinated action with allied forces. Multiple ISIS-linked sites across Syrian territory were targeted as part of what officials described as a wide-ranging operation.
The offensive has been formally named Operation Hawkeye Strike, a campaign ordered by President Donald Trump following the attack near Palmyra that killed US Army Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard, and civilian interpreter Ayad Mansoor Sakat. The two soldiers were members of the Iowa National Guard.
In a statement released on Saturday, US Central Command underscored the administration’s position on attacks against American personnel. “Any group that targets our service members will be pursued relentlessly,” the statement said, adding that those responsible would be eliminated regardless of where they attempt to hide.
Saturday’s action builds on an earlier phase of the operation launched on December 19, when US forces struck approximately 70 ISIS-related locations in central Syria, including weapons depots and operational infrastructure.
US officials said the ongoing campaign is aimed at degrading the militant group’s ability to regroup and carry out further attacks, while reinforcing Washington’s warning that assaults on American forces will be met with decisive military retaliation.
