Two US soldiers and a US civilian interpreter have been killed in Syria in an ambush by an Islamic State (IS) gunman, the US Central Command (Centcom) has said.
Officials said three other service members were injured in the attack, during which the gunman was engaged and killed. Syria's state news reported two Syrian personnel were also injured.
US President Donald Trump referred to the incident on social media as an ISIS attack against the US and Syria, warning of very serious retaliation. The Syrian government also condemned the attack.
The identities of the deceased are being withheld pending notification of next of kin. In a follow-up post on X, Centcom characterized the attack as an ambush by a lone gunman, with assessments indicating it was likely carried out by IS.
Details have emerged that the ambush occurred in Palmyra, a center of the conflict, while the soldiers were conducting a key leader engagement. This area is reportedly not under the control of the Syrian president.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth vowed that those targeting Americans would be pursued relentlessly. The attack has led to renewed discussions about the presence of US troops in Syria, which has been ongoing since 2015 as part of efforts against IS.
The United Nations has noted that IS still has operational fighters in Syria and Iraq, posing ongoing security challenges.
