US Launches Major Strikes Against Islamic State in Syria

Sun Jan 11 2026 12:07:10 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In a show of military strength, the US and its allies have launched extensive airstrikes targeting Islamic State positions in Syria, directed by President Trump as a response to a recent attack on US forces.

The US military, under the direction of President Trump, has initiated large-scale strikes against Islamic State targets in Syria following a deadly attack on US troops. More than 90 precision munitions were deployed across 35 targets as part of Operation Hawkeye Strike, aimed at combating terrorism and reinforcing security in the region.

The US and its partner forces have carried out large-scale strikes against Islamic State (IS) group targets in Syria, the US Central Command (Centcom) has announced.

US President Donald Trump directed the strikes on Saturday, which are part of Operation Hawkeye Strike, in retaliation for an IS group's deadly attack on US forces in Syria on 13 December. Centcom wrote on X.

The strikes were conducted in an effort to combat terrorism and protect US and partner forces in the region, according to Centcom.

Our message remains strong: if you harm our warfighters, we will find you and kill you anywhere in the world, no matter how hard you try to evade justice, Centcom stated.

The US and its partner forces fired more than 90 precision munitions at over 35 targets in an operation involving more than 20 aircraft, including F-15Es, A-10s, AC-130Js, MQ-9s and Jordanian F-16s.

The specifics of the locations hit and potential casualties remain unclear.

We will never forget, and never relent, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth declared on X on the day of the military action.

Operation Hawkeye Strike was first announced in December after an IS gunman killed two US soldiers and a civilian interpreter in an ambush in Palmyra, Syria.

This is not the beginning of a war - it is a declaration of vengeance, Hegseth said when launching the operation.

Before the latest strikes, US forces had already killed or captured nearly 25 IS members in 11 missions between December 20 and 29 as part of the operation.

The operation's first mission on December 19 saw US and Jordanian forces conduct a significant strike against the IS group, targeting more than 70 locations across central Syria.

While details about the latest strikes are emerging, the situation underscores the ongoing US commitment to combating the Islamic State threat in the region.