United States has launched Operation Hawkeye, carrying out powerful airstrikes on ISIS positions across Syria in retaliation for a deadly ambush in Palmyra that killed two American soldiers and a civilian interpreter on December 13.
The counterattack took place after President Donald Trump vowed a strong response, promising justice for the slain personnel. American fighter jets, attack helicopters, and artillery reportedly targeted ISIS hideouts, supply depots, and weapon storage facilities in central Syria.
Announcing the strikes on Truth Social, Trump stated that the United States was delivering a “serious retaliation” against those responsible for the brutal killings. He voiced confidence that Syria could have a bright future if the terror group is fully defeated.
US War Secretary Pete Hegseth later confirmed the military action, noting that Operation Hawkeye Strike was “not the beginning of a war but a declaration of vengeance.” He warned that any group harming Americans “will be hunted down and destroyed.”
The US continues to maintain troops in Syria to prevent ISIS from rebuilding its networks. Though the group no longer holds large swathes of territory, sleeper cells remain active. Recent American operations have eliminated several ISIS operatives and destroyed multiple arms caches in cooperation with Syrian forces.
