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THE United States, together with allied forces, launched what it described as “large-scale” strikes against the Islamic State militant group across Syria on Jan 10, in retaliation for a deadly attack last month that claimed the lives of three Americans.
AFP reported on Sunday that the U.S. Central Command said the strikes were conducted under Operation Hawkeye Strike and targeted Islamic State positions throughout Syria.
The operation was launched following a Dec 13 attack in Palmyra that killed two US soldiers and a US civilian interpreter.
“The strikes today targeted ISIS throughout Syria” and were carried out “in direct response to the deadly ISIS attack on US and Syrian forces in Palmyra,” Central Command said in a statement posted on X, using the acronym for the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.
Washington said the Dec 13 assault was carried out by a lone gunman affiliated with the militant group.
The attack occurred in Palmyra, a city known for its UNESCO-listed ancient ruins and once a stronghold of Islamic State fighters.
The latest strikes follow an earlier round of attacks in December, when the United States and Jordan jointly targeted dozens of Islamic State positions as part of the same operation.
The Palmyra incident marked the first deadly attack on US personnel in Syria since the overthrow of longtime Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.
At the time of the attack, US personnel were supporting Operation Inherent Resolve, the international coalition campaign aimed at defeating the Islamic State. The militant group had seized large areas of Syria and Iraq in 2014 before being pushed back by local ground forces with the support of international air power.
Although the group was territorially defeated, it continues to maintain a presence in Syria, particularly in remote desert regions where cells remain active.
US President Donald Trump has previously expressed scepticism about the continued presence of American troops in Syria. During his first term, he ordered a withdrawal, though US forces ultimately remained in the country.
In April, the Pentagon announced plans to halve the number of US troops stationed in Syria in the coming months. In June, US envoy for Syria Tom Barrack said Washington would eventually consolidate its military footprint in the country to a single base. - January 11, 2026