On December 19, 2025, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) executed Operation Hawkeye Strike, a large-scale retaliatory operation against Islamic State (ISIS) positions in central Syria. The operation was conducted in response to a December 13 attack near Palmyra that resulted in the deaths of three U.S. citizens: two Army National Guard soldiers and one civilian interpreter. Jordan confirmed its air force participated in the joint strikes, marking coordinated coalition action against ISIS infrastructure in southern Syria.
Precipitating Incident
On December 13, 2025, a gunman attacked U.S. and Syrian security personnel during a joint meeting near Palmyra in the Syrian desert. The assailant, who had been employed as a base security guard with Syria’s internal security forces for approximately two months, stormed the meeting location and opened fire after a confrontation with Syrian guards. The attack killed Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar (25, Des Moines, Iowa), Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard (29, Marshalltown, Iowa), and Ayad Mansoor Sakat (Macomb, Michigan), a U.S. civilian interpreter. Three additional U.S. troops and members of Syria’s security forces were wounded. The attacker was killed during the incident.
Syrian officials put forward that the assailant had recently been reassigned and was under investigation due to suspected ISIS affiliation. While ISIS has not claimed responsibility for the December 13 attack, the group has subsequently claimed responsibility for two attacks against Syrian security forces, including one in Idlib province that killed four Syrian soldiers. HSToday’s earlier article, U.S. Troops Killed in Syria Ambush as Reports Shift From ISIS to HTS Insider Attack, explored conflicting reports from counterterrorism experts suggesting it was not an attack by ISIS, but an attack by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) fighters.
Operational Details
CENTCOM initiated Operation Hawkeye Strike at 4:00 PM ET on December 19, at the direction of the Commander in Chief. The operation struck more than 70 targets at multiple locations across central Syria, employing over 100 precision munitions. Strike locations included rural areas of Deir ez-Zor and Raqqa provinces, as well as the Jabal al-Amour area near Palmyra. Targets consisted of known ISIS infrastructure, weapons storage sites, and operational headquarters.
U.S. assets employed in the operation included F-15 Eagle fighter jets, A-10 Thunderbolt II ground attack aircraft, and AH-64 Apache attack helicopters. HIMARS rocket artillery also contributed to the strikes. The Royal Jordanian Air Force provided F-16 fighter aircraft in support of the operation.
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based monitoring organization, at least five individuals were killed in the strikes, including the leader and members of an ISIS cell. U.S. officials have indicated additional strikes should be anticipated.
Syrian Government Response
Syria’s foreign ministry issued a statement following the strikes, characterizing the December 13 attack as underscoring “the urgent necessity of strengthening international cooperation to combat terrorism in all its forms.” The statement affirmed Syria’s commitment “to fighting ISIS and ensuring that it has no safe havens on Syrian territory” and pledged to “continue to intensify military operations against it wherever it poses a threat.”
President Trump stated that Syrian interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa was “fully in support” of the U.S. strikes against ISIS. The operation represents a significant development in U.S.-Syrian relations following the ouster of former President Bashar Assad one year ago, as the U.S. military continues to expand cooperation with Syrian security forces.
Broader Counterterrorism Context
CENTCOM reported that since the December 13 attack, U.S. and partner forces have conducted 10 operations in Syria and Iraq, resulting in the deaths or detention of 23 terrorist operatives. Over the past six months, U.S. and partner forces have conducted more than 80 counterterrorism operations in Syria to address threats to U.S. interests and regional security.
Admiral Brad Cooper, CENTCOM Commander, stated: “This operation is critical to preventing ISIS from inspiring terrorist plots and attacks against the U.S. homeland. We will continue to relentlessly pursue terrorists who seek to harm Americans and our partners across the region.”
Hundreds of U.S. troops remain deployed in eastern Syria as part of the coalition effort to counter ISIS. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth characterized the strikes as “a declaration of vengeance,” stating the United States “will never hesitate and never relent to defend our people.”
Implications for Homeland Security
Operation Hawkeye Strike reflects the continued U.S. commitment to degrading ISIS capabilities abroad as part of a forward defense posture. CENTCOM explicitly linked the operation to homeland security objectives, noting its criticality “to preventing ISIS from inspiring terrorist plots and attacks against the U.S. homeland.” The joint nature of the operation with Jordan demonstrates the sustained multinational commitment to counterterrorism cooperation in the region.
The December 13 attack and subsequent retaliatory strikes underscore the persistent insider threat challenge in partner force environments and highlight ISIS’s continued opportunistic targeting of U.S. personnel.
