STORY: The U.S. military launched large-scale strikes against dozens of Islamic State targets in Syria on Friday (December 19) in retaliation for an attack on U.S. personnel, U.S. officials said.

A U.S.-led coalition had already been carrying out airstrikes and ground operations in Syria targeting Islamic State suspects in recent months, often with the involvement of Syria's security forces.

U.S. President Donald Trump had vowed to retaliate after a suspected ISIS attack killed U.S. personnel last weekend in Syria.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the strikes targeted "ISIS fighters, infrastructure, and weapons sites" and said the operation was "OPERATION HAWKEYE STRIKE."

Trump said on social media that the Syrian government fully supported the strikes and that the U.S. was inflicting "very serious retaliation."

One U.S. official said the strikes hit more than 70 targets across central Syria and were carried out by F-15 and A-10 jets, along with Apache helicopters and HIMARS rocket systems.

Syria reiterated its steadfast commitment to fighting Islamic State and ensuring that it has "no safe havens on Syrian territory," according to a statement by the foreign ministry.

Two U.S. Army soldiers and a civilian interpreter were killed in the central Syrian town of Palmyra by an attacker who targeted a convoy of American and Syrian forces before being shot dead, according to the U.S. military. Three other U.S. soldiers were also wounded in the attack.

About 1,000 U.S. troops remain in Syria.

The Syrian Interior Ministry has described the attacker as a member of the Syrian security forces suspected of sympathizing with Islamic State.

Syria's government is now led by former rebels who toppled leader Bashar al-Assad last year after a 13-year civil war, and includes members of Syria's former al Qaeda branch who broke with the group and clashed with Islamic State.

Syria has been cooperating with a U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State, reaching an agreement last month when President Ahmed al-Sharaa visited the White House.

___________________________________

STORY: The U.S. military launched large-scale strikes against dozens of Islamic State targets in Syria on Friday (December 19) in retaliation for an attack on American personnel, U.S. officials said.

In video released on Friday by the U.S. Central Command, the military said the strikes hit more than 70 targets across central Syria, adding that Jordanian fighter jets supported the operation. Reuters was not able to independently verify the location or the date when the video was filmed.

A U.S.-led coalition has been carrying out airstrikes and ground operations in Syria targeting Islamic State suspects in recent months, often with the involvement of Syria's security forces.

President Donald Trump had vowed to retaliate after a suspected ISIS attack killed U.S. personnel last weekend in Syria.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the strikes targeted "ISIS fighters, infrastructure, and weapons sites" and that the operation was "OPERATION HAWKEYE STRIKE."

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SHOWS: UNDISCLOSED LOCATION (RELEASED DECEMBER 19, 2025) (DVIDS - Access all) (NIGHT SHOTS)

1. MILITARY PLANE ON RUNWAY

2. PLANE IN THE AIR

3. VARIOUS OF PLANE ON TARMAC

4. PLANE IN THE AIR

5. DETAILS OF PLANE

6. VARIOUS OF NIGHTVISION OF MILITARY HELICOPTER

_____________________________________________

SHOWS: GIVEN AS SYRIA (RELEASED DECEMBER 19, 2025) (US CENTCOM VIA X - Must on-screen courtesy 'US CENTCOM via X') (MUTE)

1. VARIOUS OF MONOCHROME AERIAL VIDEO SHOWING WHAT U.S. MILITARY SAYS ARE AIRSTRIKES ON ISIS TARGETS IN SYRIA / WORD ON VIDEO, READING (English): "UNCLASSIFIED"