US Military Forces Strike Islamic State Targets in Syria

The United States and its partner forces have carried out large scale military strikes against Islamic State group targets in Syria, according to the US Central Command.

The strikes were ordered by US President Donald Trump on Saturday as part of Operation Hawkeye Strike, launched in response to a deadly Islamic State attack on US forces in Syria on December 13. Central Command said the operation aims to counter terrorism and protect US and allied personnel in the region.

Central Command stated that more than 90 precision guided munitions were used to strike over 35 targets, with more than 20 aircraft involved in the operation. An official told CBS News that aircraft participating in the strikes included F 15E fighters, A 10 attack aircraft, AC 130J gunships, MQ 9 drones and Jordanian F 16 jets.

Details regarding the exact locations of the strikes and any casualties have not yet been confirmed.

In a statement on X, Central Command warned that attacks on US forces would be met with decisive action, saying those responsible would be pursued wherever they operate.

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth also commented on the operation, stating that the United States would not forget or relent in defending its personnel.

Operation Hawkeye Strike was first announced in December following an ambush in Palmyra, central Syria, in which two US soldiers and a US civilian interpreter were killed by an Islamic State gunman. At the time, Hegseth described the operation as a targeted response rather than the start of a wider conflict.

Before the latest strikes, US and partner forces had killed or captured nearly 25 Islamic State members during 11 missions carried out between December 20 and December 29, Central Command said.

The operation’s first mission on December 19 involved US and Jordanian forces conducting a major assault across central Syria, striking more than 70 targets linked to Islamic State infrastructure and weapons sites using over 100 precision munitions.

Source: BBC