U.S. Army launches strikes on ISIS sites in Syria

The United States announced that it carried out military strikes in Syria on Friday, targeting sites and fighters affiliated with ISIS, in response to an attack that occurred about a week earlier and resulted in the killing of two U.S. soldiers and an American translator.

U.S. President Donald Trump said the strikes aimed to “eliminate ISIS fighters and their infrastructure,” describing the operation as “successful and precise.” He added that the attack came in response to an ambush attributed to the group that led to the deaths of members of U.S. forces operating as part of the international coalition.

U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the operation was “large-scale” and included around 70 targets in central Syria, comprising weapons sites and infrastructure belonging to ISIS, noting the possibility of additional strikes in the coming period.

For his part, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said the strikes targeted “ISIS fighters, infrastructure, and weapons sites,” explaining that the operation was named “Falcon Eye Strike.” He added that the United States will continue to target the group’s elements.

A U.S. official clarified that the strikes were carried out using F-15 and A-10 fighter jets, in addition to Apache helicopters and HIMARS mobile rocket launchers.

Meanwhile, the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that Syria “reaffirms its commitment to combating ISIS and preventing the existence of any safe havens for it on its territory,” pointing to the continuation of military operations against the group in areas where it is active.

About 1,000 U.S. troops remain deployed in Syria as part of the international coalition. According to U.S. intelligence estimates reported by ABC, the number of ISIS fighters in Syria and Iraq currently ranges between 1,500 and 3,000.