The United States carried out a large military operation in Syria on Friday, striking dozens of Islamic State targets in retaliation for an ambush that killed two American service members and a U.S. civilian interpreter last week, according to U.S. officials.

The strikes, ordered by President Donald Trump, were aimed at degrading Islamic State’s ability to regroup and launch further attacks. They came days after gunfire erupted during a joint meeting between U.S. and Syrian security forces near the ancient city of Palmyra.

Dozens of targets hit across central Syria

According to U.S. defense officials, the operation struck roughly 70 Islamic State targets across central Syria, including weapons depots, command centers and logistical sites. One official described the mission as a large scale operation, while another said further strikes could follow depending on conditions on the ground.

U.S. Central Command said American aircraft, helicopters and artillery systems fired more than 100 precision guided munitions during the assault. The attack involved F-15 Eagle fighter jets, A-10 Thunderbolt ground attack aircraft and AH-64 Apache helicopters. F-16 fighter jets operating out of Jordan also participated, alongside HIMARS rocket artillery systems, officials said.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the strikes were intended as retaliation, not the start of a wider conflict. In a statement posted on social media, he said the United States would not hesitate to act when its citizens are targeted.

Trump issues warning to extremist groups

President Trump reacted strongly to the attack on U.S. personnel, vowing severe consequences for any future threats. He warned that terrorist groups targeting Americans would face even harsher responses going forward.

Speaking later at an event in North Carolina, Trump described the strikes as massive and said they disrupted efforts by Islamic State fighters to reorganize inside Syria. He also said Syrian President Ahmad al Sharaa supported the U.S. action and was deeply angered by the attack.

According to U.S. officials, the victims were part of a U.S. military presence in eastern Syria that supports an international coalition focused on preventing Islamic State from rebuilding after its territorial defeat.

Operation comes amid shifting U.S. priorities

The strikes come at a time when the Trump administration has emphasized a strategic shift toward the Western Hemisphere. In recent weeks, the United States has moved naval assets to the Caribbean to counter drug trafficking and stepped up enforcement against sanctioned oil shipments linked to Venezuela.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Navy’s most advanced aircraft carrier was redeployed last month from the Mediterranean Sea to South American waters. Despite that shift, analysts say Friday’s operation shows Washington remains willing to act forcefully in the Middle East when American lives are lost.

According to security experts, Islamic State cells in Syria have increasingly relied on targeted attacks rather than holding territory, making intelligence driven strikes more likely in the months ahead.

Syria reacts as cooperation deepens

The airstrikes tested the improving relationship between Washington and Damascus following the removal of former leader Bashar Assad a year ago. Trump has said Syrian forces are now operating alongside U.S. troops, with cooperation expanding in counterterrorism efforts.

Syria’s foreign ministry said in a statement posted on X that last week’s attack highlighted the need for stronger international coordination against terrorism. The ministry said Syria remains committed to fighting Islamic State, denying it safe havens and intensifying military operations wherever the group poses a threat.

Syrian state television reported that the U.S. strikes hit rural areas of Deir ez Zor and Raqqa provinces, as well as the Jabal al Amour area near Palmyra. According to the report, the sites included weapons storage facilities and headquarters used by Islamic State to plan attacks.

Islamic State has not claimed responsibility for the attack on U.S. forces. However, the group has since claimed two attacks on Syrian security personnel, including one in Idlib province that killed four Syrian soldiers. In its statements, the group referred to Syria’s current government as apostate. While al Sharaa previously led a group linked to al Qaida, he has long been hostile toward Islamic State.

Americans killed and wounded in Palmyra attack

Earlier this week, President Trump met privately with the families of the slain Americans at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. He later attended the dignified transfer ceremony alongside senior military officials.

The service members killed were Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres Tovar, 25, of Des Moines, and Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard, 29, of Marshalltown. A U.S. civilian interpreter, Ayad Mansoor Sakat of Macomb, Michigan, was also killed.

The shooting wounded three additional U.S. troops and several members of Syria’s security forces. Authorities said the attacker was killed at the scene.

According to Syria’s Interior Ministry, the gunman had joined the country’s internal security forces two months earlier as a base guard. He was recently reassigned after suspicions emerged that he might have ties to Islamic State, ministry spokesperson Nour al Din al Baba said.

Officials said the attacker stormed a lunch meeting between U.S. and Syrian security officials after clashing with guards and opened fire.

What happens next

Security analysts say the strikes are likely to disrupt Islamic State operations in the short term, but warn that the group remains capable of sporadic violence. U.S. officials say additional action could be taken if threats to American forces persist.

For now, the administration has made clear that attacks on U.S. personnel will bring swift and decisive military responses, even as Washington balances its global commitments.