The United States has carried out another round of "large-scale" airstrikes against the militant group Islamic State (ISIS) in Syria.

This marks the second major retaliatory operation following the killing of two U.S. soldiers and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra last month.

In a statement released Saturday (January 10), U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that as part of "Operation Hawkeye Strike," multiple ISIS targets were hit across various locations in Syria.

"Our message is clear: if you harm our fighters, we will find you and eliminate you, regardless of where you are in the world or how hard you try to evade justice," CENTCOM stated.

The military did not immediately confirm the number of casualties from these specific strikes.

Details of the Operation According to a U.S. official speaking to CBS News, the operation involved more than 20 aircraft targeting over 35 primary objectives across 90 different sites.

The fleet included F-15E, A-10, AC-130J, MQ-9 Reaper drones, and Jordanian F-16 fighter jets.

The mission was conducted in coordination with a local partner force, though the specific group was not named in the official statement.

Context of the Conflict The escalation follows a December 13 attack in Palmyra where an ISIS gunman killed three Americans.

The Syrian Interior Ministry identified the shooter as a former member of the Syrian security forces who had been dismissed for his radical views.

"Operation Hawkeye Strike" originally commenced on December 19, initially targeting 70 ISIS infrastructure and weapons depots.

By December 30, U.S. forces reported that approximately 25 ISIS militants had been killed or captured since the start of the campaign.

Shifting Alliances and Regional Tension While the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have long been the primary U.S. partner against ISIS, Washington has maintained a level of coordination with the central government in Damascus following the ousting of former President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.

However, the region remains volatile. Despite a ceasefire declaration, clashes between Syrian government forces and the SDF in Aleppo have claimed at least six lives in the past 24 hours, with 70 others injured. The death toll from recent skirmishes has risen to 28, with over 200 wounded.

Syrian forces recently claimed a ceasefire in the Sheikh Maqsoud area, asserting that surrendered SDF fighters were being transported elsewhere by bus—a claim the SDF has flatly rejected.