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US airstrikes in Syria kill ISIS leaders after deadly attack

US forces kill five ISIS fighters including drone commander in massive retaliation strikes across Syria following deadly Palmyra attack that killed two American soldiers.

US airstrikes in Syria kill ISIS leaders after deadly attack
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At least five Islamic State jihadist fighters were killed in US airstrikes conducted Friday night in Syria, according to an announcement by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The raids took place one week after the deadly attack in Palmyra, in which two American soldiers and a civilian interpreter lost their lives.

Read: Syria: American “revenge” operation against the Islamic State – Hit over 70 targets after the death of two soldiers

As the head of the NGO, Rami Abdel Rahman, told the French Press Agency, among the dead was “the cell leader” of ISIS in the region, responsible for drone operations, while the strikes were recorded in Deir Ezzor province in eastern Syria.

The airstrikes in Syria

The airstrikes were launched late Friday night, with the US Central Command for the Middle East (CENTCOM) announcing the start of a “massive” operation against Islamic State targets. According to American officials, it was retaliation for the attack on US personnel.



CENTCOM reported that US forces hit more than 70 targets in various areas of central Syria, using fighter aircraft, helicopters and artillery, while over 100 precision munitions were deployed. The operation began at 4:00 PM Washington time (11:00 PM Greek time).


According to Syrian security force sources, strikes occurred in the desert near Homs, as well as in provincial areas around Deir Ezzor and Raqqa. The explosions were followed by medium-caliber weapons fire in desert areas southwest of Raqqa, in zones controlled by Syria’s de facto government.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed that the raids targeted “ISIS fighters, infrastructure and weapons facilities,” emphasizing that the operation was successful. “This is not the beginning of a war – it is a statement of revenge. We hunted down and killed our enemies and we will continue,” he said characteristically.

Trump: “Very harsh retaliation”

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump warned via Truth Social that “very harsh retaliation” was underway, emphasizing that the United States is hitting “Islamic State strongholds with great intensity” in Syria. In a strong tone, he conveyed that every terrorist threat against Americans will be answered “with the harshest possible force.”



It should be recalled that the Palmyra attack targeted a convoy of American and Syrian forces, with the perpetrator killed by gunfire. Syrian authorities characterized him as a member of the security forces, suspected of collaborating with the Islamic State.

In recent months, a US-led coalition, formed after Syrian President Ahmed al-Saraa’s visit to the White House, has intensified air and ground operations in Syria against ISIS suspects, often in cooperation with Syrian security forces.

According to Reuters, approximately 1,000 American soldiers remain deployed in Syria, mainly in Kurdish-controlled areas in the northeastern country, as well as at the al-Tanf base, near the border with Jordan. Donald Trump’s return to the White House has raised questions about the future of the American military presence, despite the Pentagon having announced its intention to reduce forces.

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