The United States military carried out large scale airstrikes against dozens of alleged Islamic State targets across central Syria on 19 December, following a deadly attack on US personnel near Palmyra days earlier. The operation, named Hawkeye Strike, targeted what US officials described as ISIS fighters, infrastructure, and weapons sites. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced the strikes publicly, while President Donald Trump later said US forces had delivered a “massive” retaliatory blow. According to US military officials, more than 70 targets were hit using F-15 and A-10 fighter jets, Apache helicopters, and HIMARS rocket systems.

The strikes followed a 13 December attack on a joint US-Syrian patrol near Palmyra in which two US soldiers and a civilian interpreter were killed. US and Syrian authorities initially blamed ISIS for the shooting, but Syria’s Interior Ministry later said the attacker was a member of the Syrian security forces who held sympathies toward the group. Jordan’s military confirmed its participation in the air campaign, saying it aimed to prevent extremist groups from using the area to threaten regional security. Syria’s government said it remains committed to combating ISIS and preventing the group from establishing safe havens on its territory.

The United States maintains roughly 1,000 troops in Syria, stationed primarily in the northeast alongside the Syrian Democratic Forces and at the Al-Tanf base near the Iraq-Jordan border. US forces have remained in the country since ISIS lost territorial control, citing the need to counter remaining sleeper cells. In recent years, ISIS militants have operated in parts of Syria’s eastern Badia desert, including areas near Al-Tanf. Earlier this week, Trump signed legislation lifting US sanctions on Syria following the rise to power of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham in Damascus, as Washington continues to frame its military presence and operations as part of its campaign against Islamic State.