The United States, collaborating with Jordanian forces, struck over 70 Islamic State targets in Syria on Friday, US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth confirmed.
The series of strikes, dubbed "Operation Hawkeye Strike," targeted Islamic State infrastructure and weapons sites, according to a statement released by Hegseth on social media.
United States Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that US fighter jets and attack helicopters, supported by Jordanian Armed Forces aircraft, were used to drop over 100 precise munitions on the targets.
Several Islamic State terrorists were killed in what Hegseth declared a "direct response to the attack on US forces that occurred on December 13th in Palmyra, Syria."
"This is not the beginning of a war- it is a declaration of vengeance," Hegseth said, "if you target Americans, anywhere in the world, you will spend the rest of your brief, anxious life knowing the United States will hunt you, find you, and ruthlessly kill you."
US President Donald Trump confirmed that the US is "inflicting very serious retaliation" against those responsible for the deaths of two US soldiers and a civilian interpreter who were killed during an Islamic State ambush attack on December 13.
"We are striking very strongly against ISIS strongholds in Syria, a place soaked in blood, which has many problems, but one that has a bright future if ISIS can be eradicated," Trump said in a social media post. "All terrorists who are evil enough to attack Americans are hereby warned- YOU WILL BE HIT HARDER THAN YOU HAVE EVER BEEN HIT BEFORE IF YOU, IN ANY WAY, ATTACK OR THREATEN THE USA."
CENTCOM commander, Admiral Brad Cooper, described the operation as “critical to preventing ISIS from inspiring terrorist plots and attacks against the US homeland,” adding that the US will "continue to relentlessly pursue terrorists who seek to harm Americans and our partners across the region.”
Syrian response to the strikes
Syria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs additionally released a statement following the strikes, reiterating its "steadfast commitment to fighting ISIS" and emphasizing the "urgent necessity of strengthening international cooperation to combat terrorism in all its forms."
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, whom Trump referred to as a "man who is working very hard to bring Greatness back to Syria," was "fully in support" of the strike, according to Trump's social media statement.
Reuters contributed to this report.