The United States military carried out large-scale airstrikes against multiple Islamic State (ISIS) and targeted Syria, stepping up its campaign against the militant group following a deadly attack on American personnel last month.
"The strikes targeted ISIS throughout Syria," the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement, adding the strikes were carried out early afternoon US Eastern Time.
Military says it targeted the jihadist group throughout Syria in response to attack on US and Syrian troops in Palmyra.
Washington said a lone gunman from the militant group carried out the 13 December attack in Palmyra, which killed two US soldiers and a US civilian interpreter. The area is home to Unesco-listed ancient ruins and was once controlled by jihadist fighters.
“The strikes today targeted ISIS throughout Syria” and were part of Operation Hawkeye Strike, which was launched “in direct response to the deadly ISIS attack on US and Syrian forces in Palmyra,” US Central Command said in a statement on X.
The attack in December 2025 left three Americans dead.
The US and Jordan carried out a previous round of strikes as part of the same operation last month, hitting dozens of Islamic State group targets.
About 1,000 US troops remain in Syria.
Syria's government is led by ex-rebels who toppled former President Bashar al-Assad in 2024 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 US-led coalition against Islamic State, reaching an agreement late last year when President Ahmed al-Sharaa visited the White House.
The US president, Donald Trump, has long been skeptical of American troops being in Syria, ordering their withdrawal during his first term but ultimately leaving them in place.
The Pentagon announced in April that the US would halve the number of personnel in Syria in the following months, while the US’s special envoy for Syria, Tom Barrack, said in June that Washington would eventually reduce its bases in the country to one.
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