U.S. Conducts Strikes on IS Targets in Syria Under Operation Hawkeye
CENTCOM said 10 strikes Feb. 3–12 hit weapons storage and infrastructure as Operation Hawkeye seeks to pressure IS remnants; more than 5,700 detainees were moved to Iraq.
Overview
U.S. aircraft conducted 10 strikes against more than 30 Islamic State targets in Syria between Feb. 3 and Feb. 12, CENTCOM said.
CENTCOM said the strikes were part of Operation Hawkeye Strike and were launched in retaliation for a Dec. 13 ambush that killed Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard and interpreter Ayad Mansoor Sakat.
CENTCOM said the strikes used precision munitions to hit weapons storage and infrastructure in order to "sustain relentless military pressure" on IS remnants.
CENTCOM said Operation Hawkeye has killed or captured more than 50 IS fighters and struck roughly 100 to more than 100 infrastructure targets, and the Syrian Defense Ministry said government forces took control of the al-Tanf base.
The U.S. military said it completed the transfer of more than 5,700 IS detainees from Syria to Iraq, where they are expected to stand trial.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the story as a measured, justified U.S. response by foregrounding military statements and operational outcomes. They emphasize "retaliation" for the December ambush, strike counts and IS casualties, and cooperative logistics (detainee transfers), while omitting civilian-impact reporting and dissenting regional perspectives—prioritizing official military framing over broader context.
Sources (8)
FAQ
The ambush in Palmyra, Syria, killed two U.S. soldiers—Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar and Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard—and an interpreter, Ayad Mansoor Sakat. It was carried out by a gunman with ISIS ties who had worked for Syrian security forces.
The strikes targeted more than 30 ISIS sites, including weapons storage facilities, communications infrastructure, logistical hubs, command centers, training facilities, drone sites, and other infrastructure.
Aircraft included F-15E Strike Eagles, A-10 Warthogs, AC-130J Ghostriders, MQ-9 Reaper drones, AH-64 Apache helicopters, with support from Jordanian F-16s and partner forces.
Over 50 ISIS fighters killed or captured, more than 100 infrastructure targets struck, and over 5,700 ISIS detainees transferred from Syria to Iraq for trial.
Launched on December 19, 2025, at the direction of President Trump, in response to the December 13 Palmyra ambush.
History
3 sources