In a swift and forceful response to the December 13 ambush that claimed the lives of two Iowa National Guard soldiers and a U.S. civilian interpreter, the United States military executed a large-scale airstrike operation against Islamic State (ISIS) targets across Syria on Friday, December 19. Dubbed Operation Hawkeye Strike – a nod to Iowa’s nickname, the “Hawkeye State” – the strikes marked the most significant U.S. military action against ISIS remnants in Syria in recent years.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that American forces, supported by Jordanian fighter jets, launched more than 100 precision-guided munitions against over 70 ISIS-linked sites. These included weapons storage facilities, infrastructure, headquarters, and fighter positions primarily in central and northeastern Syria, spanning areas near Palmyra, Deir ez-Zor, Raqqa, and Homs.
Assets involved F-15 Eagle fighter jets, A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft (known as Warthogs), AH-64 Apache helicopters, and artillery systems such as HIMARS rocket launchers. The operation began around 4 p.m. ET (11 p.m. local time in Syria) and extended into the early hours of Saturday.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the strikes on social media, stating: “This is not the beginning of a war — it is a declaration of vengeance. Earlier today, U.S. forces commenced OPERATION HAWKEYE STRIKE in Syria to eliminate ISIS fighters, infrastructure, and weapons sites in direct response to the attack on U.S. forces that occurred on December 13th in Palmyra, Syria. Today, we hunted and we killed our enemies. Lots of them. And we will continue.”
President Donald Trump, who attended the dignified transfer of the fallen Americans’ remains at Dover Air Force Base on December 17, reiterated his promise of retaliation. In a Truth Social post, he declared: “Because of ISIS’s vicious killing of brave American Patriots in Syria… I am hereby announcing that the United States is inflicting very serious retaliation… We are striking very strongly against ISIS strongholds in Syria… All terrorists who are evil enough to attack Americans are hereby warned — YOU WILL BE HIT HARDER THAN YOU HAVE EVER BEEN HIT BEFORE.”
The initial attack occurred during a joint U.S.-Syrian counterterrorism operation near the historic city of Palmyra. A lone gunman – described by CENTCOM as an ISIS-affiliated attacker – ambushed a convoy, killing Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar (25, Des Moines, Iowa) and Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard (29, Marshalltown, Iowa) of the Iowa National Guard’s 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry Regiment, along with civilian interpreter Ayad Mansoor Sakat (Macomb, Michigan). Three other Iowa Guard members were wounded and evacuated for treatment. The assailant was killed on site by partner forces.
Syrian officials have claimed the gunman was a low-level member of their internal security forces with suspected ISIS ties, though ISIS has not claimed responsibility. The incident highlighted ongoing challenges in Syria’s post-Assad transition, where remnants of ISIS continue to operate despite the group’s territorial defeat in 2019.
Syria’s foreign ministry welcomed the U.S. strikes, stating they underscore the need for international cooperation against terrorism and reaffirming Damascus’s commitment to denying ISIS safe havens. Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa – whose government Trump praised for supporting the operation – has been working to stabilize the country following the fall of Bashar al-Assad in late 2024.
U.S. officials emphasized that the strikes were a targeted blow to ISIS’s ability to reconstitute and threaten American forces, rather than the start of a broader conflict. Approximately 1,000 U.S. troops remain in Syria under Operation Inherent Resolve, focused on preventing ISIS resurgence and protecting against terrorist threats.
Since the December 13 attack, CENTCOM reported conducting 10 follow-up operations in Syria and Iraq, resulting in the death or detention of 23 ISIS operatives. More actions are expected in the coming days.
The operation has drawn bipartisan support in Washington, with lawmakers praising the decisive response while urging continued vigilance against ISIS. Families of the fallen expressed grief but gratitude for the retaliation.
As details emerge, the strikes serve as a stark reminder of the persistent threat from ISIS in the region, even as Syria navigates its fragile new political landscape.