US strikes at ISIS bases in Syria after its troops are killed
The US Armed Forces conducted large-scale strikes on the infrastructure of the Islamic State terrorist group in Syria on the night of 20 December. The launch of the Hawkeye Strike operation was announced by US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth. According to him, the target was IS militants, weapons depots and command posts in the central regions of the country.
According to the Pentagon, more than 70 targets were hit in the provinces of Homs, Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor. The operation involved missiles from US bases, as well as fighter jets and attack helicopters. Washington said that the strikes were a response to the 13 December attack near Palmyra, which killed two US servicemen and an interpreter and wounded three others.
«We have pursued and destroyed our enemies and will continue to do so,
U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed that the decision to launch the strikes was made after the deaths of Americans. He also said that the Syrian authorities supported the US actions. «Terrorists who attack Americans will be hit harder than ever,» Trump wrote on Truth Social.
The US Central Command previously reported that the attack in Palmyra was carried out by a single militant in an area not controlled by Syrian government forces. The US side emphasises that the operation is aimed exclusively against ISIS and aims to reduce the threat to the US military and allies in the region.
Against the backdrop of strikes in Syria, Trump also confirmed the expansion of visa restrictions for citizens of a number of countries, including Syria. The new rules are due to come into effect on 1 January 2026.
