Chicago – January 11, 2026
The United States has carried out another wave of retaliatory airstrikes against Islamic State (ISIS) positions in Syria, intensifying its military response to last month’s deadly ambush that claimed the lives of two U.S. soldiers and an American civilian interpreter.According to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), the large-scale operation took place around 12:30 p.m. ET and targeted multiple ISIS strongholds across various locations in Syria. The strikes were conducted in coordination with allied partner forces, though officials did not disclose which partners were involved.
The renewed military action follows a deadly ISIS attack near Palmyra last month that killed Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar and Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard of the Iowa National Guard, along with Ayad Mansoor Sakat, a civilian interpreter supporting U.S. forces.
In a strongly worded statement, U.S. Central Command reaffirmed Washington’s position, saying the message to extremist groups remains clear: any harm inflicted on American personnel will be met with decisive and relentless action, regardless of where those responsible attempt to hide.
The latest strikes are part of a broader campaign authorized by President Donald Trump and formally named Operation Hawkeye Strike. The operation began on December 19 with a massive assault that struck approximately 70 ISIS targets across central Syria, including weapons depots, command centers, and operational infrastructure.
Meanwhile, Syrian authorities announced a significant development a day before the strikes, revealing that their security forces had arrested the senior ISIS commander overseeing operations in the Levant region. While details remain limited, the arrest is seen as a blow to the group’s regional leadership structure.
U.S. officials emphasized that Saturday’s operation was carefully coordinated to weaken ISIS’s ability to plan and carry out future attacks, underscoring Washington’s continued commitment to combating terrorism in the region.
