The United States has launched 'Operation Hawkeye Strike,' a sustained military campaign targeting ISIS strongholds across Syria in direct response to a deadly ambush in Palmyra on December 13, 2025. The attack resulted in the tragic deaths of two US soldiers, Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar and Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard, and a US civilian interpreter, Ayad Mansoor Sakat. US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that the ambush was carried out by a lone ISIS militant, who was identified as a Syrian police officer with suspected ties to the extremist group. Operation Hawkeye Strike commenced on December 19, 2025, with an initial wave of large-scale airstrikes. These strikes successfully hit over 70 ISIS targets, including infrastructure and weapons sites, across central Syria. A subsequent round of extensive strikes was conducted on January 10, 2026, with forces from Jordan also participating in the operation. These actions underscore the US commitment to eradicate Islamic terrorism and protect American and allied forces in the region. The broader context for these operations includes the recent overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime in December 2024 and Syria's subsequent alignment with the international coalition against ISIS. The operation reflects a continued effort by the US and its partners to prevent the resurgence of ISIS, which still maintains a presence and operational cells in Syria and Iraq.