US hits ISIS in Syria with massive retaliatory strikes – officers

Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth says the strikes focused ‘ISIS fighters, infrastructure, and weapons websites’

The US army launched large-scale strikes towards dozens of Islamic State targets in Syria on Friday, December 19, in retaliation for an assault on American personnel, US officers stated.

A US-led coalition has been finishing up airstrikes and floor operations in Syria focusing on Islamic State suspects in latest months, typically with the involvement of Syria’s safety forces.

President Donald Trump had vowed to retaliate after a suspected ISIS assault killed US personnel final weekend in Syria.

Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth stated the strikes focused “ISIS fighters, infrastructure, and weapons websites” and that the operation was “Operation Hawkeye Strike.”

“This isn’t the start of a warfare — it’s a declaration of vengeance,” Hegseth stated. “As we speak, we hunted and we killed our enemies. A number of them. And we are going to proceed,” he added.

Trump stated on social media that the Syrian authorities absolutely supported the strikes and that the US was inflicting “very critical retaliation.”

US Central Command stated the strikes hit greater than 70 targets throughout central Syria, including that Jordanian fighter jets supported the operation.

One US official stated the strikes had been carried out by US F-15 and A-10 jets, together with Apache helicopters and HIMARS rocket techniques.

Syria reiterated its steadfast dedication to combating Islamic State and making certain that it has “no protected havens on Syrian territory,” in line with a assertion by the international ministry.

Two US Military troopers and a civilian interpreter had been killed on Saturday within the central Syrian city of Palmyra by an attacker who focused a convoy of American and Syrian forces earlier than being shot lifeless, in line with the US army. Three different US troopers had been additionally wounded within the assault.

About 1,000 US troops stay in Syria.

The Syrian Inside Ministry has described the attacker as a member of the Syrian safety forces suspected of sympathizing with Islamic State.

Syria’s authorities is led by former rebels who toppled chief Bashar al-Assad final 12 months after a 13-year civil warfare, and contains members of Syria’s former Al Qaeda department who broke with the group and clashed with Islamic State.

Syria has been cooperating with a US-led coalition towards Islamic State, reaching an settlement final month when President Ahmed al-Sharaa visited the White Home. – Rappler.com