The U.S. has launched a series of large-scale air and missile strikes on Islamic State targets in Syria in retaliation for the killing of two U.S. soldiers in the country this month.
The strikes are being conducted by F-15 and A-10 aircraft and High Mobility Artillery Rocket System rockets, and have already hit over 70 targets, according to a U.S. military official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing operation.
The operation is being called “Hawkeye Strike” in acknowledgement of the two Iowa Army National Guard soldiers and a U.S. civilian working as an interpreter who were killed Dec. 13 in an ambush the U.S. has blamed on ISIS.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wrote on X late Friday that “this is not the beginning of a war — it is a declaration of vengeance.”
U.S. Central Command said in a statement this week that operations against ISIS over the past six months have killed 14 insurgents and captured 119.
While the official wouldn’t comment on a timeline for the strikes, Hegseth wrote that “today, we hunted and we killed our enemies. Lots of them. And we will continue.”
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