President Trump announced retaliatory strikes on ISIS strongholds this Friday via Truth Social.
Because of ISIS’s vicious killing of brave American Patriots in Syria, whose beautiful souls I welcomed home to American soil earlier this week in a very dignified ceremony, I am hereby announcing that the United States is inflicting very serious retaliation, just as I promised, on the murderous terrorists responsible, President Trump announced.
Operation Hawkeye Strike targeted ISIS combatants, infrastructure, and weapons in the wake of the terror group’s attack on U.S. forces, which killed two Iowa National Guardsmen and a U.S. civilian on Dec. 13.
Sec. Pete Hegseth claimed, “This is not the beginning of a war — it is a declaration of vengeance. The United States of America, under President Trump’s leadership, will never hesitate and never relent to defend our people,” on X.
Earlier today, U.S. forces commenced OPERATION HAWKEYE STRIKE in Syria to eliminate ISIS fighters, infrastructure, and weapons sites in direct response to the attack on U.S. forces that occurred on December 13th in Palmyra, Syria.
— Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) December 19, 2025
This is not the beginning of a war — it is a…
The strike utilized fighters, attack helicopters, and artillery to target “dozens upon dozens” of strategic assets in the area surrounding Palmyra, Syria, per ABC. The military action was designed to provide a “significant blow” to the remaining ISIS forces in the region.
The Syrian government, now led by al-Qaeda leader turned president Ahmed al-Sharaa, has worked in partnership with U.S. forces since the Dec. 13 attack. A senior U.S. official told Fox News that the two countries have carried out 10 joint operations that “led to the death or detainment of more than two dozen ISIS-affiliated individuals.”
President Trump expressed his praise for the cooperation, “The Government of Syria, led by a man who is working very hard to bring Greatness back to Syria, and is fully in support. All terrorists who are evil enough to attack Americans are hereby warned — YOU WILL BE HIT HARDER THAN YOU HAVE EVER BEEN HIT BEFORE IF YOU, IN ANY WAY, ATTACK OR THREATEN THE U.S.A.”