Operation Hawkeye: US forces conduct strikes on over 30 IS targets in Syria

The United States carried out 10 strikes on more than 30 ISIS targets in Syria between February 3 and 12, aiming to maintain sustained military pressure on the remaining elements of the terrorist network, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement released on Saturday.

The strikes under Operation Hawkeye, focused on ISIS infrastructure and weapons storage facilities, with precision munitions deployed using fixed-wing aircraft, rotary-wing aircraft and unmanned aerial systems.

CENTCOM noted that US forces had previously carried out five strikes between January 27 and February 2, targeting an ISIS communication site, critical logistics nodes, and weapons storage facilities.




“More than 50 ISIS terrorists have been killed or captured and over 100 ISIS infrastructure targets have been struck with hundreds of precision munitions during two months of targeted operations,” CENTCOM said.

The latest targeted strikes in Syria come as part of Operation Hawkeye Strike and follow a US strike in Syria last month that killed a senior militant leader linked to a deadly ambush on American personnel, marking the third round of retaliatory action by Washington, according to US officials.

US Central Command had said the strike in northwest Syria killed Bilal Hasan al‑Jasim, an Al‑Qaeda‑affiliated figure with operational ties to the Islamic State militant responsible for the December 13 ambush in Palmyra that killed two US soldiers and a civilian interpreter.

Operation Hawkeye Strike was launched in a retaliatory response by the US to a December 13 attack in Palmyra, which targeted US and Syrian forces. The ambush resulted in the death of two US service members and an American interpreter.

The operation focuses on targeting ISIS infrastructure, weapons storage, and logistical networks. The strikes are part of a broader US campaign in Syria under President Donald Trump to degrade ISIS capabilities and maintain military pressure on the terrorist network. US forces have maintained a presence in eastern Syria since 2014, supporting allied groups and conducting targeted operations against ISIS leaders and facilities.