Jordan confirms it joined US airstrikes in Syria

Jordan confirmed its air force joined Friday’s U.S.-led strikes targeting the Islamic State (ISIS) group in Syria, part of a retaliatory operation Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth described as a “declaration of vengeance” for a lethal attack that killed three U.S. citizens earlier this month.

Why It Matters

An ISIS gunman ambushed U.S. troops in Syria last week, killing three U.S. servicemembers—two Iowa National Guard soldiers and a civilian interpreter. The assault marked the first deadly attack on U.S. troops in Syria since the fall of President Bashar Assad last year.

The U.S., along with support from Jordan, carried out “Operation Hawkeye Strike” in Syria, targeting ISIS. Following the fatal December 13th attack, “U.S. and partner forces conducted 10 operations in Syria and Iraq resulting in the deaths or detention of 23 terrorist operatives,” according to CENTCOM.

Jordan and the U.S. are members of the Global Coalition against the Islamic State group, a partnership formed in 2014, with Syria recently joining.

What To Know

The Jordanian military said in a Saturday statement that its air force “participated in precise airstrikes…targeting several ISIS positions in southern Syria,” the Associated Press reported.

The statement continued to note that the operation aimed “to prevent extremist groups from exploiting these areas as launching pads to threaten the security of Syria’s neighbors and the wider region, especially after ISIS regrouped and rebuilt its capabilities in southern Syria.”

U.S. Central Command said in a Friday statement that “CENTCOM forces struck more than 70 targets at multiple locations across central Syria with fighter jets, attack helicopters, and artillery,” noting specifically that “Jordanian Armed Forces also supported with fighter aircraft.” CENTCOM also posted a video of the operation on its social media.

Jordan, which borders Syria, has at times joined U.S.-led airstrikes targeting the militant group, particularly during the height of the campaign against ISIS in 2014.

The interim Syrian government and its military forces have committed themselves to helping the U.S. fight the presence of ISIS. The U.S. had no diplomatic relations with Syria under Assad, but the Trump administration has courted closer ties between the two countries, even hosting interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa in Washington last month.

What People Are Saying

President Donald Trump on Truth Social Friday night: “Because of ISIS’s vicious killing of brave American Patriots in Syria, whose beautiful souls I welcomed home to American soil earlier this week in a very dignified ceremony, I am hereby announcing that the United States is inflicting very serious retaliation, just as I promised, on the murderous terrorists responsible. We are striking very strongly against ISIS strongholds in Syria, a place soaked in blood which has many problems, but one that has a bright future if ISIS can be eradicated. The Government of Syria, led by a man who is working very hard to bring Greatness back to Syria, and is fully in support. All terrorists who are evil enough to attack Americans are hereby warned — YOU WILL BE HIT HARDER THAN YOU HAVE EVER BEEN HIT BEFORE IF YOU, IN ANY WAY, ATTACK OR THREATEN THE U.S.A.”

Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of CENTCOM, said in a Friday statement: “This operation is critical to preventing ISIS from inspiring terrorist plots and attacks against the U.S. homeland. We will continue to relentlessly pursue terrorists who seek to harm Americans and our partners across the region.”

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said in a Friday X post: “Earlier today, U.S. forces commenced OPERATION HAWKEYE STRIKE in Syria to eliminate ISIS fighters, infrastructure, and weapons sites in direct response to the attack on U.S. forces that occurred on December 13th in Palmyra, Syria. This is not the beginning of a war — it is a declaration of vengeance. The United States of America, under President Trump’s leadership, will never hesitate and never relent to defend our people. As we said directly following the savage attack, if you target Americans — anywhere in the world — you will spend the rest of your brief, anxious life knowing the United States will hunt you, find you, and ruthlessly kill you. Today, we hunted and we killed our enemies. Lots of them. And we will continue.”

What Happens Next

The death toll of the strikes has not been confirmed by U.S. officials. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights told AFP that “at least five members of the Islamic State group were killed.”

Around 1,000 U.S. soldiers remain in Syria, many in the eastern part of the country, in an effort to prevent an ISIS resurgence.