US forces targets in Syria

Washington (dpa) — US and allied forces have launched “large-scale strikes” on Islamic State targets across Syria, the US military said on Saturday.

The strikes, conducted at around 1730 GMT, are part of the US response to a deadly attack on US and Syrian forces late last year, the US Central Command (CENTCOM), responsible for the region, said on X.

The US military did not specify the location of the targets nor did it provide information on possible causalities.

On December 13, two US soldiers and a US interpreter were killed in Palmyra in an attack believed to have been carried out by Islamic State. The Pentagon at the time said their mission had been to support ongoing operations against Islamic State and terrorism in the region. Another three people were injured in the attack.

US President Donald Trump subsequently vowed revenge against the terrorist group, and the military launched major strikes against Islamic State in Syria a week later.

“Our message remains strong: if you harm our warfighters, we will find you and kill you anywhere in the world, no matter how hard you try to evade justice,” CENTCOM said.