The United States military, along with its partner forces, has carried out large-scale airstrikes against targets linked to the Islamic State (IS) group in Syria, according to the US Central Command (Centcom). The strikes were conducted on Saturday as part of Operation Hawkeye Strike.

Centcom said US President Donald Trump ordered the strikes in response to a deadly attack carried out by IS on 13 December. That earlier attack targeted US forces in Syria and resulted in the deaths of two US soldiers and one US civilian interpreter. The US military said the latest action was taken to combat terrorism and to protect US and allied forces operating in the region.

“Our message remains strong: if you harm our war fighters, we will find you and kill you anywhere in the world, no matter how hard you try to evade justice,” Centcom said in a post on X.

An official told CBS News, the BBC’s US partner, that the operation involved more than 20 aircraft. More than 90 precision-guided munitions were fired at over 35 IS targets across Syria. The aircraft used in the strikes included F-15E fighter jets, A-10 attack aircraft, AC-130J gunships, MQ-9 drones, and Jordanian F-16 fighter jets.

The exact locations of the strikes have not been disclosed, and officials have not yet confirmed whether there were any casualties.

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth also commented on the operation, writing on X on Saturday, “We will never forget, and never relent.”

The Trump administration first announced Operation Hawkeye Strike in December, following the ambush in Palmyra, a city in central Syria. When the operation was announced, Hegseth said, “This is not the beginning of a war - it is a declaration of vengeance.”

He added, “The United States of America, under President Trump's leadership, will never hesitate and never relent to defend our people.”

Centcom said that before Saturday’s strikes, US forces had already killed or captured nearly 25 IS members in 11 missions conducted between 20 December and 29 December as part of the same operation.

The first mission under Operation Hawkeye Strike took place on 19 December. During that mission, US and Jordanian forces carried out what Centcom described as a “massive strike” against IS targets. Fighter jets, attack helicopters, and artillery were used to hit more than 70 targets at multiple locations across central Syria. According to Centcom, the mission involved the use of more than 100 precision munitions aimed at known IS infrastructure and weapons storage sites.

Syria remains in a fragile condition following major political changes in December 2024. The fall of President Bashar al-Assad’s regime effectively ended a civil war that had lasted for 13 years. Ahmed al-Sharaa, also known as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, has been serving as Syria’s president since his rebel group removed Assad from power and took control.

Although the Islamic State group has been significantly weakened in Syria, it continues to remain active. In 2025, the group mainly carried out attacks against Kurdish-led forces in the north-eastern parts of the country.