A U.S. fighter jet prepares for a large-scale strike on ISIS targets in Syria. Dec. 19, 2025. U.S. Central Command

The U.S. is conducting airstrikes against ISIS targets in Syria in retaliation for the attack that killed two American soldiers and a U.S. interpreter on Saturday, officials said. Multiple sources told CBS News earlier Friday that the strikes were being conducted.

One of the officials said the U.S. began striking dozens of targets at multiple locations across central Syria using fighter aircraft, attack helicopters and artillery. More than 70 targets were struck, a U.S. official said.

F-15 fighter jets, A-10 Thunderbolts — known as "Warthogs" — and Apache attack helicopters were used to target ISIS positions in Syria on Friday, U.S. officials told CBS News. F-16 fighter jets from Jordan were also involved in the operation.

U.S. Central Command described the operation as a "massive strike" and indicated that it was retaliatory in a post on X. In a follow-up post, U.S. Central Command said it used "more than 100 precision munitions targeting known ISIS infrastructure and weapons sites."

President Trump and Defense Secretary Hegseth attended the dignified transfer at Dover Air Force Base earlier this week for the two soldiers killed, Sgt. William Howard and Sgt. Edgar Torres Tovar, both of the Iowa National Guard, and the interpreter, Ayad Mansoor Sakat.

The three individuals were killed when, according to the Pentagon, a lone ISIS gunman ambushed them while they were supporting a key leader in Palmyra, Syria. Three other members of the Iowa National Guard were wounded in the attack.

Mr. Trump vowed "very serious retaliation" in a TruthSocial post after the attack, and Hegseth also vowed to "avenge these fallen Americans with overwhelming force."

Hegseth announced in a post Friday on X that U.S. forces have begun "Operation Hawkeye Strike" in Syria "to eliminate ISIS fighters, infrastructure, and weapons sites in direct response to the attack on U.S. forces."

"Today, we hunted and we killed our enemies," Hegseth continued. "Lots of them. And we will continue."

Speaking Friday night during remarks in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, Mr. Trump said he "ordered a massive strike on the terrorists that killed our three great patriots last week." The strikes were "very successful," and "we hit every site flawlessly," the president said.

After the operation began, White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said in a statement, "President Trump told the world that the United States would retaliate for the killing of our heroes by ISIS in Syria, and he is delivering on that promise."

U.S. Central Command said Friday that since the attack on the American soldiers last weekend, it has conducted 10 operations in Syria and Iraq that have resulted in the death or detention of "23 terrorist operatives."

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