US and partners launch major strikes on IS targets in Syria

US-led strikes in Syria

The US and partner forces carried out large-scale strikes against Islamic State targets in Syria on Saturday under Operation Hawkeye Strike, U.S. Central Command said. President Donald Trump directed the action in retaliation for an IS ambush on 13 December that killed two US soldiers and a US civilian interpreter. Centcom said more than 90 precision munitions struck over 35 targets using more than 20 aircraft — including F-15Es, A-10s, AC-130Js, MQ-9s and Jordanian F-16s — though the precise locations and casualty figures have not been confirmed.

Centcom framed the operation as necessary to combat terrorism and protect US and partner forces, warning that those who harm US personnel will be pursued. The strikes follow earlier Hawkeye missions in December that reportedly killed or captured nearly 25 IS members in 11 missions and a 19 December sortie that targeted over 70 sites with more than 100 precision munitions. The action comes amid ongoing instability in Syria since the fall of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024 and with IS weakened but still active, particularly in attacks against Kurdish-led forces in the northeast, as reported by BBC