U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced today the execution of a massive, multi-platform military operation targeting the Islamic State (IS) in central Syria. The mission, designated “Operation Hawkeye Strike,” was launched at 16:00 ET on Friday in direct retaliation for the December 13 ambush in Palmyra that claimed the lives of two U.S. soldiers and a civilian interpreter.
🇺🇸🇸🇾 U.S. LAUNCHES “MASSIVE” RETALIATORY STRIKES AGAINST ISIS IN SYRIA
U.S. Central Command announced Operation Hawkeye Strike across central Syria, deploying fighter jets, attack helicopters, and artillery against ISIS positions near Raqqa and Deir ez Zor. The large-scale… pic.twitter.com/zqEBn7HQ5O
— Crown Intelligence Group (@crownintelgroup) December 20, 2025
The strike involved a sophisticated array of American air and ground assets, including fighter jets, attack helicopters, and artillery. Key statistics from the operation include:
- Scope: Over 70 targets struck across multiple locations in central Syria.
- Ordnance: Deployment of more than 100 precision-guided munitions.
- Collaboration: The operation was supported by aircraft from the Kingdom of Jordan.
- Targets: Known IS infrastructure, weapons storage sites, and drone cell leadership.
President Donald Trump addressed the nation following the strikes, stating, “We are striking very strongly against IS strongholds. The U.S. is inflicting very serious retaliation, just as I promised, on the murderous terrorists responsible.” The President further noted that the current Syrian government is “fully in support” of the mission.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth emphasized the retaliatory nature of the mission: “This is not the beginning of a war—it is a declaration of vengeance. If you target Americans, the United States will hunt you, find you, and ruthlessly kill you. Today, we hunted and we killed our enemies.”
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The U.S. Army has officially identified the service members killed in the December 13 Palmyra attack:
- Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres Tovar, 25
- Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard, 29
Operation Hawkeye Strike comes during a period of shifting dynamics in the region. Since the 2024 transition of power in Syria to the administration of President Ahmed al-Sharaa, the U.S. and Syria have entered a “new era” of cooperation. Syrian forces have pledged to work alongside the international coalition to eradicate the remaining 5,000 to 7,000 IS fighters estimated to be operating in the desert regions of Syria and Iraq.
CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper affirmed that the U.S. military “will continue to relentlessly pursue terrorists who seek to harm Americans and our partners across the region.”
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