The US says its military has carried out a 'massive strike' against the Islamic State group (IS) in Syria, in response to a deadly attack on American forces in the country. The US Central Command (Centcom) reported that fighter jets, attack helicopters, and artillery struck over 70 targets at multiple locations across central Syria. The operation 'employed more than 100 precision munitions' targeting known IS infrastructure and weapons sites.
President Donald Trump remarked on the substantial nature of the strikes following the December 13 IS ambush in Palmyra that resulted in the deaths of two US soldiers and a civilian interpreter. In an official statement, Centcom announced that Operation Hawkeye Strike commenced at 16:00 Eastern Time (21:00 GMT) on the preceding Friday.
Centcom commander Admiral Brad Cooper expressed that the US would continue its relentless pursuit of terrorists aiming to harm Americans and allies in the region. Reports from Rami Abdel Rahman, the head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, suggested that at least five IS members were killed in the response, including the leader of a cell managing drone operations.
The strike included support from the Royal Jordanian Air Force to address threats posed by extremist groups in the region. While IS has not commented on the attack, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth characterized the operation as a 'declaration of vengeance,' emphasizing a commitment to retaliate against threats to American lives.
Despite declaring the defeat of IS's territory in Syria in 2019, the United Nations estimates the group still has between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters operating in the region, necessitating ongoing US military presence for training efforts as part of the broader campaign against terrorism.
President Donald Trump remarked on the substantial nature of the strikes following the December 13 IS ambush in Palmyra that resulted in the deaths of two US soldiers and a civilian interpreter. In an official statement, Centcom announced that Operation Hawkeye Strike commenced at 16:00 Eastern Time (21:00 GMT) on the preceding Friday.
Centcom commander Admiral Brad Cooper expressed that the US would continue its relentless pursuit of terrorists aiming to harm Americans and allies in the region. Reports from Rami Abdel Rahman, the head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, suggested that at least five IS members were killed in the response, including the leader of a cell managing drone operations.
The strike included support from the Royal Jordanian Air Force to address threats posed by extremist groups in the region. While IS has not commented on the attack, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth characterized the operation as a 'declaration of vengeance,' emphasizing a commitment to retaliate against threats to American lives.
Despite declaring the defeat of IS's territory in Syria in 2019, the United Nations estimates the group still has between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters operating in the region, necessitating ongoing US military presence for training efforts as part of the broader campaign against terrorism.
