The United States armed forces launched airstrikes this Friday (19) against dozens of Islamic State targets in Syria in retaliation for an attack on American soldiers, President Donald Trump announced in an article on Truth Social.
“We are striking hard at ISIS strongholds in Syria, a bloodied country that faces many problems but has a bright future if ISIS can be eradicated,” Trump wrote. “The Syrian government, led by a man who is working very hard to make Syria great again, totally agrees. »
Trump had vowed to retaliate after an attack last weekend on U.S. troops in Syria blamed on a suspected member of the Islamic State.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed the attacks targeted “ISIS fighters, infrastructure and weapons depots” and said the operation was being dubbed “OPERATION HAWKEYE STRIKE.”
“This is not the start of a war, this is a declaration of revenge,” Hegseth said. “Today we hunt and kill our enemies. Many of them. And we will continue,” he added.
Two US army soldiers and a civilian interpreter were killed on Saturday in Palmyra, in central Syria, by an attacker who attacked a convoy of US and Syrian forces before being shot down, according to the US military. Three other American soldiers were also injured in the attack.
A U.S.-led coalition has carried out airstrikes and ground operations in Syria against Islamic State suspects in recent months, often with the participation of Syrian security forces. About 1,000 American troops remain in the country.
The Syrian Interior Ministry described the attacker as a member of the Syrian security forces suspected of sympathizing with Islamic State. The Syrian government is currently led by former rebels who toppled President Bashar al-Assad last year after 13 years of civil war, and includes members of the former al-Qaeda branch in Syria, which broke away from the group and clashed with Islamic State.
Syria is cooperating with the US-led coalition against Islamic State, having reached a deal last month during President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s visit to the White House.
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