The United States intensified Operation Hawkeye Strike against ISIS in Syria with large-scale airstrikes on January 10, 2026, authorized by President Donald Trump. This followed a December 13, 2025, ISIS ambush in Palmyra that killed two US soldiers from the Iowa Army National Guard and one civilian interpreter, targeting ISIS infrastructure across central Syria.
Initial strikes on December 19 hit over 70 sites near Palmyra, Deir ez-Zor, and Raqqa using more than 100 precision munitions from US aircraft, helicopters, HIMARS artillery, and Jordanian forces. By late December, operations across 11 raids killed or captured around 25 ISIS fighters. The January wave deployed over 20 aircraft—including F-15Es, A-10s, AC-130Js, MQ-9 drones, and Jordanian F-16s—to deliver 90+ munitions on 35+ targets, destroying weapons caches, supply routes, and command posts.
CENTCOM coordinates with post-Assad Syrian forces to curb ISIS resurgence and protect US allies. The multi-phase campaign employs precision strikes nationwide, emphasizing sustained pressure on ISIS networks in Syria's volatile regions.
