US and Jordanian forces have carried out a major joint air operation against the Islamic State group in Syria, striking more than 70 ISIS-linked targets with over 100 precision-guided munitions, according to the US Central Command. The overnight strikes were confirmed on Friday local time and were presented by CENTCOM as a show of what it described as “peace through strength.” The command also published video footage showing the attacks.

The large-scale operation followed a recent incident in central Syria, where a suspected ISIS militant attacked a convoy involving US and Syrian forces in the historic city of Palmyra. The strikes were launched only days after that attack, which heightened tensions around US military activity in the region.

US President Donald Trump said the operation was directly connected to the killing of two American service members earlier this month. According to Trump, the air campaign was intended as retaliation for the deadly December 13 attack, which he blamed on ISIS militants operating in Syria.

US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced that the mission had been formally named Operation Hawkeye Strike. In a statement posted on X, he said US forces had begun the operation with the goal of destroying ISIS fighters, infrastructure, and weapons storage sites. He stressed that the action was taken in direct response to the Palmyra attack on US personnel.

Hegseth underlined that the strikes did not mark the start of a broader war, but rather a deliberate act of retaliation. He warned that any attack on American citizens or troops would trigger a swift and forceful response, adding that the United States would defend its people without hesitation under President Trump’s leadership.

Trump echoed that message in a separate post on Truth Social, saying ISIS would face unprecedented pressure. He stated that the militant group would be hit harder than ever and confirmed that US forces were striking ISIS strongholds across Syria in response to the killing of American soldiers.

The two US service members killed in the December 13 attack were identified as Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres Tovar, 25, from Des Moines, Iowa, and Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard, 29, from Marshalltown, Iowa. The US Army said both soldiers were killed while engaging hostile forces in Palmyra.

The fallen troops were part of the Iowa National Guard, serving with the 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry Regiment, under the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the 34th Infantry Division. In addition to the fatalities, three other members of the Iowa National Guard were wounded during the same incident and were later evacuated for further medical treatment.