Following the deaths of three American service members and a translator earlier this week, the U.S. military on Friday launched a series of extensive airstrikes against Islamic State (IS) targets in central Syria.The operation, dubbed “Operation Eye of the hawk,” represents a significant escalation in direct U.S. action within the country as the Assad regime’s fall last year, and comes amid ongoing concerns about the resurgence of extremist activity in the region. President Trump announced the “very serious reprisal” via social media, signaling a firm response to the attack that marked the first American fatalities in Syria in over a year.
The U.S. military launched extensive strikes against Islamic State (IS) targets in Syria on Friday, December 19, 2025, in response to a recent attack that killed three American service members. The retaliatory action marks a significant escalation in U.S. involvement in the region following a period of relative calm, and underscores the ongoing threat posed by extremist groups in the Middle East.
“I hereby announce that the United States is inflicting a very serious reprisal, as I promised, on the terrorists responsible for the deaths of these killers,” President Donald Trump stated on his Truth Social platform.
The two U.S. soldiers and a translator were killed December 13 near the Syrian city of Palmyra by a lone gunman, representing the first American deaths in the country since the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime last year.
According to a statement, the Pentagon reported that American fighter jets, attack helicopters, and artillery targeted more than 70 locations in central Syria as part of the large-scale operation. “We will continue to relentlessly pursue terrorists seeking to harm Americans and our partners in the region,” said Admiral Brad Cooper.
Airstrikes Target Over 70 Objectives
The U.S. military had previously announced the commencement of a “large-scale” response to the attack that claimed the lives of the three Americans. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced the operation, dubbed “Operation Eye of the Hawk,” on social media, stating, “This is not the beginning of a war, it is a declaration of vengeance.”
According to an anonymous U.S. official cited by The New York Times, fighter aircraft, attack helicopters, and artillery barrages struck dozens of suspected IS sites across central Syria, with bombing expected to continue for several hours.
“We are hitting the strongholds of EI in Syria, a place soaked in blood that has many problems, but which has a bright future if EI is eradicated,” Trump wrote.
The development could influence future diplomatic talks and strategies for countering terrorism in the region. gs (efe, afp)
