ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - The US military on Saturday said it struck Islamic State (ISIS) targets with coalition partners across Syria, coming as Washington continues its retaliation for an ambush by the extremist group that killed two US soldiers and a civilian translator in December.

“These strikes are part of Operation Hawkeye Strike, which was launched and announced on Dec. 19, 2025, at the direction of President [Donald] Trump, in direct response to the deadly ISIS attack on US and Syrian forces in Palmyra, Syria, on Dec. 13, 2025,” US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement.

At least two US military personnel and a civilian interpreter were killed and three were wounded during an ISIS attack on the coalition and Syrian security forces near Palmyra on December 13, coming weeks after the Syrian government joined the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS.

In retaliation, the US military launched Operation Hawkeye Strike, striking more than 70 ISIS targets across central Syria using fighter jets, attack helicopters, and artillery in the operation's first wave, according to a statement from CENTCOM last month.

“The strikes today targeted ISIS throughout Syria as part of our ongoing commitment to root out Islamic terrorism against our warfighters, prevent future attacks, and protect American and partner forces in the region,” CENTCOM added on Saturday, reaffirming its commitment to “pursuing terrorists who seek to harm the United States.“

US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced Saturday that its forces conducted "large-scale strikes against multiple ISIS targets across Syria" as part of Operation Hawkeye Strike, a retaliatory campaign following the killing US forces by the group in Palmyra on December 13 -… pic.twitter.com/TKUTLDlyRC

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"We will never forget, and never relent," US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wrote on X.

Despite being territorially defeated in 2019, ISIS still poses a security threat across Syria, with the extremist group mostly resorting to hit-and-run attacks. The group has also tried to take advantage of the security vacuum in the country to regroup, especially in the vast desert areas.

“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 asserted.