The United States carried out large-scale air strikes on Islamic State (IS) targets in Syria on Friday, President Donald Trump and defense secretary reported Pete Hegseth. The strikes are in retaliation for a deadly attack last weekend near the city of Palmyra in central Syria, which killed two American soldiers and an American interpreter.
Trump had previously announced that the United States would strike back and said late on Friday evening that it involved “very heavy attacks on IS strongholds.” He also said that the Syrian government “fully” supports it. According to Minister Hegseth, the operation bears the name Hawkeye Strike. “This is not the start of a war, but a retaliation,” he said. “Today we hunted down and killed our enemies. Many of them. And we will continue to do so.”
A US official says otherwise The New York Times that dozens of suspected IS locations have been bombarded with fighter planes, helicopter gunships and artillery, including weapons depots and support facilities. The attacks took place in several locations in central Syria and are expected to continue until early Saturday morning. Social media reported explosions in various parts of the country.
The soldiers killed were the first American casualties in Syria since the fall of President Bashar al-Assad last year. They were supporting anti-terrorist operations around the city of Palmyra when they were attacked. According to American and Syrian authorities, it was probably an attack by a single gunman. According to the US, the attacker had ties to Islamic State and was shot dead on the spot. IS has not claimed responsibility for the attack.
The United States has reduced its presence in Syria to around a thousand soldiers after the change of power in Damascus, but last weekend’s attack underlines that IS still poses a threat, according to Washington. The US has increased its airstrikes and ground operations against IS in Syria together with allies and in cooperation with Syrian security forces in recent months. Friday’s attacks represent a clear escalation.
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US carries out airstrikes on IS targets in Syria after deadly attack on American soldiers
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