Operation Hawkeye Strike: Video shows glimpse of US action in Syria; ISIS targets hit — watch
US forces launched significant strikes across Syria targeting ISIS, a retaliatory move for a deadly December 13th ambush in Palmyra. The operation, named 'Hawkeye Strike,' directly responds to an ISIS attack that claimed the lives of two American soldiers and a civilian interpreter. This action underscores the US commitment to eradicating terrorist threats and protecting its personnel in the region.
The US department of state on Saturday released a footage of large-scale strikes against multiple targets across Syria, tied to an ongoing retaliatory campaign -- “Operation Hawkeye Strike.
”In a video posted by the US central command, several fighter jets were seen taking off for the operation. Footage of several strikes at various targets were also released.
Trump's Brutal ISIS Revenge: US Military Air-drops 90 Bombs On Arab Nation After Venezuela
According to the US army, the strikes were launched in direct response to the deadly ISIS attack on US and Syrian forces in Palmyra, Syria, on December 13.
"Today, at approximately 12:30 p.m. Eastern Time, US Central Command (CENTCOM) forces, alongside partner forces, conducted large-scale strikes against multiple ISIS targets across Syria.
These strikes are part of Operation Hawkeye Strike, which was launched and announced on December 19, 2025, at the direction of President Trump, in direct response to the deadly ISIS attack on US and Syrian forces in Palmyra, Syria, on December 13, 2025.
That ambush, carried out by an ISIS terrorist, resulted in the tragic deaths of two American soldiers and one US civilian interpreter," the US central command said.
"The strikes today targeted ISIS throughout Syria as part of our ongoing commitment to root out Islamic terrorism against our warfighters, prevent future attacks, and protect American and partner forces in the region.
US and coalition forces remain resolute in pursuing terrorists who seek to harm the United States. 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," it added.ALSO READ | Operation Hawkeye targets ISIS after deadly Palmyra ambushThe December ambush marked the first deadly attack on US personnel in Syria since the overthrow of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.Torres-Tovar, 25, of Des Moines, Iowa, and Howard, 29, of Marshalltown, were members of the Iowa National Guard.
Three other Guard members were injured.Operation Hawkeye Strike was launched on December 19 with a large-scale operation that hit roughly 70 ISIS targets across central Syria.The United States and Jordan also carried out a previous round of strikes under the same operation last month.A day before Saturday’s strikes, Syrian officials said their security forces had arrested the military leader of ISIS’s operations in the Levant.Meanwhile, hundreds of troops continue to be deployed to Syria as part of the US’ longstanding mission to combat ISIS, a mission that began when ISIS rapidly took control of a large chunk of Syria and Iraq in the mid 2010s.ALSO READ |