WASHINGTON (TNND) — The U.S. launched a deadly attack in Syria on Friday, hitting multiple targets, according to Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.
The strikes come nearly a week after two Iowa National Guard members and a U.S. civilian interpreter were killed in an attack in the Syrian desert that the Trump administration blamed on the Islamic State group in central Syria (ISIS).
“Earlier today, U.S. forces commenced OPERATION HAWKEYE STRIKE in Syria to eliminate ISIS fighters, infrastructure, and weapons sites in direct response to the attack on U.S. forces that occurred on December 13th in Palmyra, Syria,” Hegseth wrote on X.
“This is not the beginning of a war — it is a declaration of vengeance. The United States of America, under President [Donald] Trump’s leadership, will never hesitate and never relent to defend our people. As we said directly following the savage attack, if you target Americans — anywhere in the world — you will spend the rest of your brief, anxious life knowing the United States will hunt you, find you, and ruthlessly kill you,” he added. “Today, we hunted and we killed our enemies. Lots of them. And we will continue.”
Trump had vowed “there will be very serious retaliation” in response to the ambush.
The guardsmen killed were identified as Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, 25, of Des Moines, and Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard, 29, of Marshalltown, according to the U.S. Army. Ayad Mansoor Sakat, of Macomb, Michigan, a U.S. civilian working as an interpreter, was also killed.
Trump and Hegseth participated in a dignified transfer ceremony of the remains on Wednesday afternoon at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware.
“Because of ISIS’s vicious killing of brave American Patriots in Syria, whose beautiful souls I welcomed home to American soil earlier this week in a very dignified ceremony, I am hereby announcing that the United States is inflicting very serious retaliation, just as I promised, on the murderous terrorists responsible,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“We are striking very strongly against ISIS strongholds in Syria, a place soaked in blood which has many problems, but one that has a bright future if ISIS can be eradicated. The Government of Syria, led by a man who is working very hard to bring Greatness back to Syria, and is fully in support. 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.,” he added.
Officials said the attack involved a lone gunman, who Hegseth and Central Command and Department of War Secretary Pete Hegseth said was killed.
The attack on U.S. troops in Iraq is the first to inflict casualties since the fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad a year ago.
Pentagon chief spokesman Sean Parnell said gunfire erupted near Palmyra as the soldiers were conducting “a key leader engagement.” Their mission was in support of ongoing counter-ISIS and counter-terrorism operations in the area.
The attack is currently under active investigation, Parnell added.
Syria’s Interior Ministry spokesman Nour al-Din al-Baba said Syrian authorities are looking into whether the gunman was an IS member or only carried its extreme ideology. He denied reports that suggested that the attacker was a security member.
The U.S. has hundreds of troops deployed in eastern Syria as part of a coalition fighting ISIS.
In November, Syria joined the international coalition fighting against ISIS as Damascus improves its relations with Western countries following the ouster of Assad when insurgents captured his seat of power in Damascus.
The U.S. had no diplomatic relations with Syria under Assad, but ties have warmed since the fall of the five-decade Assad family rule. The interim president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, made a historic visit to Washington last month where he held talks with Trump.
ISIS was defeated on the battlefield in Syria in 2019 but the group’s sleeper cells still carry out deadly attacks in the country. The United Nations said the group still has between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters in Syria and Iraq.
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EDITOR’S NOTE: The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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