The United States and its partner forces have carried out extensive military strikes against Islamic State (IS) group targets in Syria, according to the US Central Command (Centcom).
The strikes were ordered by US President Donald Trump on Saturday and form part of Operation Hawkeye Strike, launched in response to a deadly IS attack on US forces in Syria on 13 December. Centcom confirmed the operation in a statement posted on X.
US officials said the action was aimed at countering terrorism in the region and protecting American and allied troops operating in Syria.
Centcom issued a stark warning following the strikes, stating: “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.”
Operation Hawkeye Strike Targets Dozens of IS Sites in Syria
According to a US official speaking to CBS News, the BBC’s US partner, more than 90 precision-guided munitions were fired at over 35 IS targets during the operation. The strikes involved more than 20 aircraft.
The official said the mission included F-15E fighter jets, A-10 aircraft, AC-130J gunships, MQ-9 drones and Jordanian F-16s, highlighting the scale of the joint military effort.
Centcom has not disclosed the exact locations of the strikes, and the number of casualties remains unclear.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth referenced the operation on X, writing: “We will never forget, and never relent.”
US Responds to Deadly December Attack on Its Forces
Operation Hawkeye Strike was first announced in December after an IS gunman ambushed US personnel in Palmyra, central Syria, killing two American soldiers and a US civilian interpreter.
When unveiling the operation last month, Hegseth said: “This is not the beginning of a war – it is a declaration of vengeance.”
He added: “The United States of America, under President Trump’s leadership, will never hesitate and never relent to defend our people.”
Centcom said that before Saturday’s latest strikes, US forces had already killed or captured nearly 25 IS members across 11 missions conducted between 20 and 29 December.
Continued US and Allied Military Pressure on Islamic State
The first mission under Operation Hawkeye Strike took place on 19 December, when US and Jordanian forces carried out what Centcom described as a “massive strike” on IS positions across central Syria.
That operation involved fighter jets, attack helicopters and artillery, hitting more than 70 targets and deploying over 100 precision munitions against IS infrastructure and weapons facilities.
Syria remains in a fragile condition following the fall of President Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December 2024, which effectively ended a 13-year civil war.
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Ahmed al-Sharaa, also known as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, has served as Syria’s president since his rebel group overthrew Assad and consolidated power.
While Islamic State has been significantly weakened in Syria, it continues to operate, primarily targeting Kurdish-led forces in the country’s north-east throughout 2025.
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