U.S. forces and regional partners have killed or captured nearly 25 Islamic State operatives in Syria this month, stepping up pressure on the terror group after a deadly ambush that left two U.S. soldiers and a civilian interpreter dead.
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“US and partner forces killed or captured nearly 25 ISIS operatives in the days following a large-scale strike in Syria on December 19,” CENTCOM said, adding that at least seven ISIS operatives were killed, others were arrested and four weapons caches were destroyed.
These missions follow Operation Hawkeye Strike, a coordinated campaign involving U.S. and Jordanian forces that hit more than 70 ISIS targets using more than 100 precision-guided munitions. US Central Command said dozens of fighter jets, attack helicopters and artillery systems were used to destroy IS infrastructure and weapons sites in central Syria.
“We will not give in,” said Admiral Brad Cooper, who led the command. “We are firmly committed to working with our regional partners to eliminate the threat that ISIS poses to the security of the United States and the region. »
The intensifying campaign follows a Dec. 13 ambush near the ancient city of Palmyra, where U.S. and Syrian security officials had gathered for a meeting. Two members of the Iowa National Guard and a civilian interpreter from Michigan were killed, while three other U.S. troops and members of Syrian security forces were injured, according to the Associated Press.
Syrian officials said the attacker, who was killed in the incident, had joined Syria’s internal security forces as a base guard and was later reassigned due to suspected links to Islamic State.
According to a U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, the latest missions have targeted a wide range of ISIS members, from high-ranking figures placed under long-term surveillance to lower-level fighters. The official said growing cooperation between U.S. forces and Syria’s relatively new government has enabled operations in previously inaccessible areas.
The command said the intensified operations were part of a broader effort to prevent a resurgence of ISIS. In 2025 alone, the group inspired at least 11 plots or attacks against U.S. targets. Over the past year, U.S. and partner forces in Syria have arrested more than 300 suspected militants and killed more than 20 others.
“Continuing to hunt down terrorists, eliminate ISIS networks and work with partners to prevent a resurgence of ISIS makes America, the region and the world safer,” Cooper said.
The initial retaliatory strikes also represented a key test of warming relations between Washington and Damascus following the ouster of longtime Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad last year. US President Donald Trump said Syria’s new president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, was “extremely angry and disturbed” by the ambush in which US personnel were killed.
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With contributions from the Associated Press
Published by:
Ashish Vashishtha
Published on:
December 31, 2025
