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United States Central Command said Wednesday that American forces carried out five strikes against suspected Islamic State targets in Syria over the past week, continuing retaliation for the deaths of two U.S. service members in the country last year.
The strikes were conducted as part of Operation Hawkeye Strike, which began in December after ISIS fighters attacked U.S. and Syrian forces on Dec. 13, 2025. Since the operation launched, more than 50 ISIS militants have been killed or captured, CENTCOM said.
According to the command, the most recent operations took place between Jan. 27 and Feb. 2 and involved 50 precision-guided munitions. The strikes destroyed an ISIS communications site, a key logistics hub and multiple weapons storage facilities.
“Striking these targets demonstrates our continued focus and resolve for preventing an ISIS resurgence in Syria,” CENTCOM Commander Brad Cooper said in a statement. “Operating in coordination with coalition and partner forces to ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS makes America, the region and the world safer.”
The latest actions follow a U.S. airstrike in northwest Syria last month that killed Bilal Hasan al-Jasim, a senior militant leader associated with an Al-Qaeda affiliate. U.S. officials said al-Jasim had direct ties to an ISIS gunman involved in the December ambush that prompted the current campaign.
President Donald Trump previously vowed retaliation in Syria after two U.S. service members and one American civilian were killed in an attack, saying those responsible would face consequences.
“In Syria there will be a lot of damage done to the people that did it,” President Trump said, adding that authorities “got the person” responsible but that “there’ll be big damage done.”
The president said the Syria attack killed “three great patriots” and emphasized that it was carried out by the Islamic State group, not the Syrian government.
“The Syrian government fought by our side. The new president fought by our side,” President Trump said, describing the incident as a reminder that U.S. forces remain at risk as Washington works with partners to prevent an Islamic State resurgence.