US forces have launched a major military offensive in Syria targeting the Islamic State following a deadly assault in the ancient city of Palmyra that killed three Americans, according to statements from Pete Hegseth. The Pentagon chief confirmed that the operation, named Operation Hawkeye Strike, was initiated as a direct response to the attack on US personnel.
In a post on social media, Hegseth said American forces began Operation Hawkeye Strike with the objective of destroying ISIS fighters, dismantling their operational infrastructure and eliminating weapons facilities across Syria. He said the action was taken after the December 13 attack on US forces and made it clear that the United States would respond decisively to any assault on its citizens or troops anywhere in the world.
Hegseth warned that anyone who targets Americans would be relentlessly pursued, stating that such attackers would spend their remaining days knowing the US would hunt them down and eliminate them. His remarks underlined the administration’s hardline stance on retaliating against militant groups that threaten American lives.
The military operation follows a suspected ISIS attack on a convoy of US and Syrian forces in Palmyra, located in central Syria. In that incident, two US Army soldiers and a civilian interpreter were killed, while three other American troops sustained injuries. US military officials later confirmed that the attacker was shot dead following the assault.
President Donald Trump also addressed the operation in a social media post, stating that the strikes were aimed at ISIS strongholds. Trump said Syrian interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa was fully supportive of the US campaign against the militant group, signalling closer cooperation between Washington and Damascus.
Trump reinforced his warning to extremist groups in emphatic terms, declaring that any terrorists who attack or threaten the United States would face overwhelming force. His statement was intended as a deterrent and reflected the administration’s broader approach to counterterrorism.
US officials described Operation Hawkeye Strike as a large-scale assault involving approximately 70 targets across central Syria. These locations were identified as housing ISIS infrastructure and weapons stockpiles. Officials, speaking anonymously due to the sensitive nature of the mission, indicated that additional strikes were likely in the coming days.
According to defence sources, the operation involved a wide range of military assets, including F-15 Eagle fighter jets, A-10 Thunderbolt ground-attack aircraft and AH-64 Apache helicopters. Officials also said F-16 fighter jets operating out of Jordan and HIMARS rocket artillery systems were used to strike selected targets, highlighting the scale and intensity of the offensive.
The operation comes at a time when relations between the United States and Syria are undergoing a significant shift. During the rule of former president Bashar Assad, Washington had no diplomatic ties with Damascus. However, relations have begun to thaw following the collapse of the Assad family’s five-decade hold on power, according to reports.
Syria’s interim leader Ahmad al-Sharaa made a historic visit to Washington last month, where he met President Trump. It marked the first visit by a Syrian head of state to the White House since Syria gained independence from France in 1946. The visit followed the US decision to lift sanctions that had been imposed during the Assad era.
Al-Sharaa, who led rebel forces that overthrew Assad in December 2024, was named interim president in January. He was previously linked to al-Qaeda and had once been the subject of a $10 million US bounty, making his current cooperation with Washington a notable geopolitical shift.
Last month, Syria formally joined the US-led international coalition fighting the Islamic State, as the country seeks to rebuild ties with Western nations after Assad’s removal. Although ISIS was militarily defeated in Syria in 2019, the group continues to operate through sleeper cells that carry out deadly attacks.
According to estimates by the United Nations, ISIS still has between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters active across Syria and Iraq, underscoring why US and allied forces continue to view the group as a serious and persistent security threat.
