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 to IS'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 said.

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, and MQ-9s. The location of the strikes and the extent of any casualties is still unclear. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth emphasized the unwavering commitment of the US: We will never forget, and never relent. The military action follows months of retaliation against IS activities, including a previous attack in December that killed two US soldiers and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.

Syria's ongoing fragility and the remnants of IS's operational capacity remain critical issues, as the group continues to conduct attacks, particularly against Kurdish forces in the northeast.