One of the sites hit by the US military on 10 January in strikes against Islamic State targets across Syria. (Photo: US Central Command/X)
The United States and its allies have carried out large-scale air strikes against Islamic State (IS) group targets across Syria, the US military has said, according to the BBC.
US Central Command (Centcom) said the strikes were ordered by US President Donald Trump on Saturday as part of Operation Hawkeye Strike. The operation is a response to a deadly IS attack on US forces in Palmyra on 13 December.
In a post on X, Centcom said the strikes were aimed at protecting US and partner forces in the region.
“Our message remains strong: if you harm our warfighters, we will find you and kill you anywhere in the world,” Centcom said.
A US official told CBS News that more than 90 precision munitions were fired at over 35 targets across Syria. The strikes involved more than 20 aircraft, including US F-15 and A-10 jets, AC-130 gunships, MQ-9 drones and Jordanian F-16 fighter jets.
The military has not yet confirmed the exact locations of the strikes or whether there were any casualties.
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US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said on X, “We will never forget, and never relent.”
The operation follows an IS ambush in Palmyra, in central Syria, which killed two US soldiers and a US civilian interpreter. US officials said a lone IS gunman carried out the attack.
When the operation was announced in December, Hegseth said: “This is not the beginning of a war. It is a declaration of vengeance.”
Centcom said that even before Saturday’s strikes, US forces had killed or captured nearly 25 IS fighters in multiple missions between 20 and 29 December.
Islamic State once controlled large areas of Syria and Iraq, but was defeated by local ground forces backed by international air power. However, the group still operates in parts of Syria, particularly in desert areas.
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The US troops targeted in Palmyra were supporting Operation Inherent Resolve, the international mission against IS.
President Trump has previously questioned the US military presence in Syria. While he ordered a withdrawal during his first term, American troops remained in the country. The Pentagon said last year that the number of US personnel in Syria would be reduced in phases.
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One of the sites hit by the US military on 10 January in strikes against Islamic State targets across Syria. (Photo: US Central Command/X)
