The United States military has executed a new series of airstrikes against Islamic State (ISIS) militants in Syria, confirming the action as part of a sustained counter-terrorism campaign initiated late last year.
Operation Hawkeye Strike Continues
According to the US Central Command (CENTCOM), the strikes were carried out on Saturday, targeting ISIS positions across Syria. The military operation, codenamed Operation Hawkeye Strike, was launched in December 2025 following a deadly attack on American forces.
In that incident on 13 December, two US soldiers and a civilian interpreter were killed by Islamic State militants. CENTCOM's statement was unequivocal in its warning: "Our message remains strong: if you harm our warfighters, we will find you and kill you anywhere in the world, no matter how hard you try to evade justice."
Broad Coalition Efforts Against ISIS
These latest aerial attacks form part of wider, coordinated efforts by a US-led international coalition. For several months, this coalition has been conducting both aerial and ground operations against suspected ISIS members throughout Syria, often in cooperation with Syrian security forces.
This follows a significant large-scale strike in December, where the US hit approximately 70 targets across central Syria, destroying IS infrastructure and weapons caches. An estimated 1,000 US troops remain deployed in the country to support these ongoing missions.
Political Context and Regional Cooperation
The strikes occur within a complex and evolving political landscape in Syria. The current government, led by former rebels who toppled President Bashar al-Assad in 2024, includes figures who once belonged to Syria's former Al Qaeda branch. This faction later broke away and clashed with the Islamic State.
Notably, Syria has been cooperating with the US-led coalition against ISIS. This cooperation was formalised in an agreement reached late last year, coinciding with a visit by President Ahmed al-Sharaa to the White House.
While CENTCOM confirmed the strikes occurred in the early afternoon US Eastern Time on Saturday, it did not provide details on potential casualties. The Pentagon has declined to elaborate further, and the State Department has not yet commented on the latest military action.
