(Image source from: Ndtv.com)

The US military carried out airstrikes on many Islamic State positions in Syria on Friday as a response to an assault on American personnel, as stated by officials from the US. President Donald Trump had promised to take action following a previous attack on US personnel in Syria by someone believed to be part of the Islamic State.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed that the airstrikes focused on "ISIS fighters, their bases, and storage sites for weapons" and referred to the operation as "OPERATION HAWKEYE STRIKE." He added, "This does not signal the start of a war — it is an act of revenge." Hegseth said, "Today, we tracked down and eliminated many of our foes. And we will keep doing this." Two anonymous US officials mentioned that the airstrikes targeted various Islamic State sites throughout central Syria.

On Saturday, a gunman attacked a convoy of American and Syrian forces in the central Syrian town of Palmyra, resulting in the deaths of two US Army soldiers and a civilian translator, as reported by the US military. Three other US soldiers sustained injuries during this attack. In recent months, a US-led coalition has conducted air and ground missions in Syria against those linked to the Islamic State, often working alongside Syrian security forces. Approximately 1,000 US soldiers are still stationed in Syria. The Syrian Interior Ministry has labeled the attacker as a member of the Syrian security forces who is suspected of having ties to the Islamic State.

Currently, Syria's government is made up of former rebels who overthrew leader Bashar al-Assad last year after a prolonged civil war that lasted 13 years. This government includes individuals who broke away from Syria's former Al Qaeda faction and have had conflicts with the Islamic State. Syria has been collaborating with a US-led coalition against the Islamic State, reaching a cooperation agreement last month during President Ahmed al-Sharaa's visit to the White House.