US strikes dozens of Islamic State targets in Syria, officials say
A US-led coalition has carried out operations in Syria targeting Islamic State suspects in recent months. (Reuters: )
In short:
Donald Trump had vowed to retaliate after an attack on US personnel last weekend in Syria by a suspected Islamic State member.
The US strikes targeted "ISIS fighters, infrastructure and weapons sites".
What's next?
The US attacks would continue, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said.
The US military has launched air strikes against dozens of Islamic State targets in Syria in retaliation for an attack on US personnel, two US officials said.
President Donald Trump had vowed to retaliate after a suspected ISIS attack killed US personnel last weekend in Syria.
Mr Trump, in a social media post, said Syria had many problems but had a "bright future if ISIS can be eradicated".
"The government of Syria, led by a man who is working very hard to bring greatness back to Syria, and is fully in support."
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed the mission, named Operation Hawkeye Strike, targeted "ISIS fighters, infrastructure and weapons sites".
"This is not the beginning of a war — it is a declaration of vengeance," he said.
"Today, we hunted and we killed our enemies. Lots of them. And we will continue," he added.
Pete Hegseth says the US military will "hunt" anyone who targets Americans. (Reuters: Yves Herman)
US Central Command said the strikes hit more than 70 targets across central Syria, adding that Jordanian fighter jets supported the operation.
One US official said the strikes were carried out by US F-15 and A-10 jets, along with Apache helicopters and HIMARS rocket systems.
"We will continue to relentlessly pursue terrorists who seek to harm Americans and our partners across the region," Admiral Brad Cooper said in a statement.
Syria reiterated its steadfast commitment to fighting Islamic State and ensuring that it has "no safe havens on Syrian territory," according to a statement by the foreign ministry.
Two US officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the strikes were against dozens of Islamic State targets across central Syria.
Two US Army soldiers and a civilian interpreter were killed on Saturday in the central Syrian town of Palmyra by an attacker who targeted a convoy of American and Syrian forces before being shot dead, according to the US military. Three other US soldiers were also wounded in the attack.
A US-led coalition has carried out air strikes and ground operations in Syria targeting Islamic State suspects in recent months, often with the involvement of Syria's security forces.
About 1,000 US troops remain in Syria.
The Syrian Interior Ministry has described the attacker as a member of the Syrian security forces suspected of sympathising with Islamic State.
Syria's government is now led by former rebels who toppled leader Bashar al-Assad last year after a 13-year civil war, and includes members of Syria's former Al Qaeda branch who broke with the group and clashed with the Islamic State.
Syria has been cooperating with a US-led coalition against Islamic State, reaching an agreement last month when President Ahmed al-Sharaa visited the White House.
ABC/Reuters/AFP