DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that the United States would pursue “very serious retaliation” following an attack in Syria that resulted in the deaths of two U.S. service members and one American civilian, attributed to the Islamic State (IS) group. In a social media post, Trump described the incident as “an ISIS attack against the U.S.” and emphasized that the region where the attack occurred remains perilous and is not fully under control by IS.
Trump addressed reporters at the White House, stating that Syria's President Ahmed al-Sharaa expressed his devastation over the incident and reassured that Syria is collaborating with U.S. forces. He characterized al-Sharaa as “extremely angry and disturbed” by the attack. Republican Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa, whose National Guard was involved, echoed that sentiment, expressing condolences for the loss of Iowa National Guard members and prayers for the recovery of those wounded.
The U.S. Central Command reported that three additional service members sustained injuries during the ambush in central Syria, where a lone IS member initiated the assault. Trump noted that the wounded personnel appeared to be recovering well. According to military officials, the gunman responsible for the attack was killed, and Syrian authorities indicated that members of Syria's security forces were also injured.
This incident marks the first deadly attack on U.S. troops in Syria since President Bashar Assad's fall in December 2024. Trump reiterated on his Truth Social platform that “there will be very serious retaliation” against those responsible.
Sean Parnell, chief spokesman for the Pentagon, confirmed that the civilian who lost their life was a U.S. interpreter. He clarified that the attack targeted soldiers engaged in ongoing counter-terrorism operations in the region and is currently under investigation. Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds stated that the deceased soldiers' names would be withheld until 24 hours after notifying their next of kin, expressing her condolences to the families impacted by the tragedy.
The attack occurred near the historic site of Palmyra, according to the state-run SANA news agency. The victims were airlifted to the al-Tanf garrison, located near the borders of Iraq and Jordan. Nour al-Din al-Baba, a spokesman for Syria’s Interior Ministry, reported that the gunman linked to IS opened fire at the entrance of a military post. Investigations are ongoing to determine if the attacker was a member of IS or simply inspired by its extremist ideology.
Al-Baba noted that the assailant was part of the Internal Security forces operating in the desert, and he had recently undergone an assessment that indicated possible extremist beliefs; however, a decision regarding his status was anticipated the following Sunday, which coincided with the day of the attack when state institutions were closed.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth posted a stern warning on X, asserting that any individual who targets Americans “anywhere in the world” would face relentless pursuit by U.S. forces. Notably, U.S. officials did not confirm if the gunman was affiliated with the Syrian security forces, with a Pentagon official merely stating that the incident took place in an area lacking Syrian presidential control.
The U.S. maintains hundreds of troops in eastern Syria as part of a coalition against IS. Previously, U.S. relations with Syria were strained under Assad, but the dynamics shifted following his regime's downfall. Al-Sharaa's recent visit to Washington marked a notable diplomatic milestone as it was the first visit by a Syrian head of state to the White House since Syria's independence in 1946.
Since IS was defeated on the battlefield in Syria in 2019, the group has continued to operate through sleeper cells, carrying out sporadic and deadly attacks. Recent estimates from the United Nations suggest that IS retains between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters active in Syria and Iraq. U.S. forces have historically faced threats in the region, including a previous devastating attack in Manbij in 2019 that claimed multiple lives.
