Under the direct instruction of President Donald J. Trump, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) and partner forces conducted a massive wave of precision airstrikes on Saturday against Islamic State (ISIS) targets throughout Syria. The mission, part of the ongoing Operation Hawkeye Strike, serves as a direct retaliation for the deadly December 13 ambush in Palmyra that claimed the lives of two U.S. soldiers and a civilian interpreter.
NEW VIDEO:@DeptofWar just released this new video of the large-scale airstrikes against multiple ISIS targets across Syria conducted by the United States today.
According to @CENTCOM, these strikes are part of Operation Hawkeye Strike.
Great work, @PeteHegseth!
More dead… https://t.co/JvD7aGd774 pic.twitter.com/3s7ohqFmsc
— Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) January 10, 2026
Mission Details
In a coordinated aerial assault involving more than 20 aircraft—including F-15Es, A-10s, AC-130Js, MQ-9s, and Jordanian F-16s—U.S. and partner forces deployed over 90 precision munitions. The operation successfully neutralized more than 35 high-value targets, focusing on ISIS infrastructure, command-and-control nodes, and weapons storage facilities.
“Our message remains strong: if you harm our warfighters, we will find you and kill you anywhere in the world, no matter how hard you try to evade justice,” CENTCOM stated via official channels.
A “Declaration of Vengeance”
The strikes represent a significant escalation of Operation Hawkeye Strike, which was launched in late December 2024 following the Palmyra attack. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth underscored the administration’s resolve on Saturday, stating, “We will never forget, and never relent.”
In his initial announcement of the operation, Secretary Hegseth clarified the mission’s intent: “This is not the beginning of a war—it is a declaration of vengeance. The United States of America, under President Trump’s leadership, will never hesitate and never relent to defend our people.”
Operational Progress
Since the inception of Hawkeye Strike, U.S. forces have maintained a high operational tempo:
- Dec 19: Initial “massive strike” targeting over 70 locations with 100+ precision munitions.
- Dec 20 – Dec 29: 11 specialized missions resulting in the capture or elimination of nearly 25 ISIS militants.
- Jan 10: Latest large-scale strike against 35+ targets.
Regional Context
These operations come at a sensitive time for Syria, which remains in a fragile state following the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024. While President Ahmed al-Sharaa (formerly known as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani) works to solidify control of the central government, ISIS has attempted to exploit the power vacuum to launch insurgent attacks.
The U.S. military remains committed to working with regional partners to ensure that ISIS cannot regroup or threaten the stability of the new Syrian administration.
