The United States has launched a series of coordinated airstrikes against Islamic State (ISIS) positions in central Syria, responding to a deadly attack that killed American personnel near Palmyra last week, US officials confirmed on Friday.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the strikes were conducted under a military campaign named Operation Hawkeye Strike, targeting dozens of ISIS-linked sites, including fighter concentrations, weapons depots, and operational infrastructure. He emphasized that the action was a direct response to the December 13 attack on US forces and was intended as a firm warning to extremist groups targeting Americans abroad.

“This is not the beginning of a war,” Hegseth said in a statement. “It is a declaration of vengeance. The United States will defend its people relentlessly and without hesitation.”

According to Pentagon officials, the airstrikes focused on ISIS strongholds across sparsely populated areas of central Syria where remnants of the terror group continue to operate despite years of international counterterrorism efforts. Military planners said the targets were selected to degrade ISIS’s ability to conduct future attacks and reassert operational control.

Hegseth also detailed the mission in a public post, stating that US forces “hunted and eliminated” multiple ISIS elements involved in planning and executing attacks against coalition forces. He warned that additional operations could follow if threats persist.

The strikes came after a deadly ambush near Palmyra in which two US Army soldiers and a US civilian interpreter were killed, while three other American troops were wounded. The convoy, which included US and allied Syrian personnel, was targeted by an ISIS-affiliated attacker who was later shot dead by security forces.

US President Donald Trump had pledged swift and decisive retaliation following the incident, calling the attack an assault on American sovereignty and security. White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly said the latest military action fulfilled that commitment.

“President Trump made it clear that the United States would respond forcefully to the killing of our heroes in Syria,” Kelly said. “These strikes demonstrate that promise in action.”

Senior US officials stressed that the operation was defensive in nature and not intended to escalate into a broader regional conflict. However, they reiterated Washington’s long-standing policy that attacks on US personnel anywhere in the world would trigger decisive consequences.

“This message is unmistakable,” Hegseth said. “If you target Americans, you will be hunted down. There will be no safe haven.”

ISIS, though territorially defeated in Syria and Iraq, continues to conduct sporadic attacks through sleeper cells and insurgent networks, particularly in desert regions with limited governance. US forces remain deployed in parts of Syria to support counterterrorism operations and prevent the group’s resurgence.

Security analysts note that Operation Hawkeye Strike signals a renewed emphasis by the Trump administration on aggressive counterterrorism responses, aimed at deterrence and rapid retaliation rather than prolonged military engagement.

As tensions continue to simmer in the Middle East, US officials say their priority remains protecting American lives while maintaining pressure on extremist groups seeking to exploit instability.