The Trump administration launched a large-scale strike on Friday, hitting 70 targets in central Syria in retaliation for an ambush that killed two U.S. troops and an interpreter.
The Strike and Its Rationale
A U.S. official described the operation as a “large-scale” strike that struck 70 sites across central Syria that housed Islamic State (IS) infrastructure and weapons. Another U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said additional strikes were likely. The attack was intended to eliminate IS fighters and weapon sites after the ambush that took the lives of two U.S. soldiers and a civilian interpreter.
Command and Resources
The U.S. Central Command posted on social media that jets, helicopters and artillery employed more than 100 precision munitions on Syrian targets. The attack used F-15 Eagle jets, A-10 Thunderbolt ground-attack aircraft, AH-64 Apache helicopters, F-16 fighter jets from Jordan, and HIMARS rocket artillery. These assets were part of a broader effort that also saw the most advanced U.S. aircraft carrier arrive in South American waters last month from the Mediterranean.
President Trump’s Statements
President Donald Trump pledged “very serious retaliation” after the shooting in the Syrian desert, blaming IS for the attack. During a speech in North Carolina on Friday evening, he hailed the operation as a “massive strike” that took out the “ISIS thugs in Syria who were trying to regroup.”
In a social media post, Trump reiterated his backing for Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, who he said was “fully in support” of the U.S. effort. He also issued an all-caps warning: “All terrorists who are evil enough to attack Americans are hereby warned – YOU WILL BE HIT HARDER THAN YOU HAVE EVER BEEN HIT BEFORE IF YOU, IN ANY WAY, ATTACK OR THREATEN THE U.S.A.”
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth posted on social media: “This is not the beginning of a war – it is a declaration of vengeance. The United States of America, under President Trump’s leadership, will never hesitate and never relent to defend our people.”
Syria’s Response
Syria’s foreign ministry issued a statement on X following the launch of U.S. strikes, saying the attack “underscores the urgent necessity of strengthening international cooperation to combat terrorism in all its forms.” The ministry also affirmed Syria’s commitment “to fighting ISIS and ensuring that it has no safe havens on Syrian territory and will continue to intensify military operations against it wherever it poses a threat.”
State television reported that U.S. strikes hit targets in rural areas of Deir ez-Zor and Raqqa provinces and in the Jabal al-Amour area near the historic city of Palmyra. It said the strikes targeted “weapons storage sites and headquarters used by ISIS as launching points for its operations in the region.”
IS has not claimed responsibility for the ambush on U.S. service members, but the group has claimed responsibility for two attacks on Syrian security forces since, one of which killed four Syrian soldiers in Idlib province. In its statements, the group described al-Sharaa’s government and army as “apostates.”
Impact on U.S.-Syria Relations
The attack was a major test for the warming ties between the United States and Syria since the ouster of Bashar Assad a year ago. Trump stressed that Syria was fighting alongside U.S. troops and said al-Sharaa was “extremely angry and disturbed by this attack,” which came as U.S. military expanded cooperation with Syrian security forces.
Details of the Fatalities
The U.S. soldiers killed in the ambush were Sergeant Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, 25, of Des Moines, and Sergeant William Nathaniel Howard, 29, of Marshalltown. Ayad Mansoor Sakat, 38, of Macomb, Michigan, a U.S. civilian interpreter, also lost his life.
The shooting near Palmyra wounded three other U.S. troops and members of Syria’s security forces. The gunman, a base security guard who had joined Syria’s internal security forces two months earlier, was reassigned after suspicions that he might be affiliated with IS, Interior Ministry spokesperson Nour al-Din al-Baba said. He stormed a meeting between U.S. and Syrian security officials who were having lunch together and opened fire after clashing with Syrian guards.
Trump met privately with the families of the slain Americans at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware before joining top military officials and other dignitaries on the tarmac for a dignified transfer, a solemn and largely silent ritual honoring U.S. service members killed in action.
Key Takeaways
- The Trump administration carried out a 70-target strike in central Syria to eliminate IS fighters and weapons sites after an ambush killed two U.S. soldiers and a civilian interpreter.
- President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth framed the operation as vengeance and a declaration of readiness to defend American lives.
- Syria’s foreign ministry affirmed its commitment to fight IS and praised international cooperation, while the U.S. used a mix of jets, helicopters, artillery and precision munitions.
The strikes underscore the continued U.S. military presence in the region and the administration’s willingness to respond forcefully to attacks on its personnel, even as it reallocates resources to the Western Hemisphere.
