Retribution came swiftly as US forces hammered ISIS positions throughout Syria in a series of powerful strikes. Prompted by the tragic Palmyra attack that claimed American lives, CENTCOM detailed the Saturday operations within the framework of Operation Hawkeye Strike, greenlit by President Trump post-December 13.
Allied militaries collaborated in the broad assault, focusing on neutralizing ISIS’s operational hubs to avert renewed aggression against coalition assets. CENTCOM’s communiqué was stark: ‘These Syria-wide strikes embody our enduring pledge to obliterate ISIS, preempt dangers, and shield our troops.’
Initiated December 19, the operation reframes vengeance as enduring vigilance. The Palmyra raid by ISIS killed two US soldiers and one local partner, galvanizing a no-holds-barred response.
‘We’ll hunt you to the ends of the earth if you target our people,’ CENTCOM pledged. Details on targets struck, geography, or ordnance stayed under wraps, as did enemy losses.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s X post captured the national mood: ‘Never forget, never yield.’ This campaign not only avenges the fallen but fortifies the Middle East against ISIS resurgence, projecting American resolve worldwide.