US conducts retaliatory airstrikes against ISIS targets across Syria
American military aircraft struck more than 30 ISIS positions in Syria between early and mid-February, killing or capturing approximately 50 militants.
February 14, 2026
The United States military conducted 10 airstrikes against more than 30 Islamic State targets in Syria between February 3 and 12, U.S. Central Command announced Saturday. The strikes destroyed weapons storage facilities and other infrastructure using precision munitions delivered by aircraft, helicopters, and unmanned drones.
The operation, designated Operation Hawkeye Strike, formed part of an ongoing campaign launched in retaliation for an ISIS ambush on December 13, 2025, in the Syrian city of Palmyra. That attack killed Sergeant Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, Sergeant William Nathaniel Howard, and Ayad Mansoor Sakat, a civilian interpreter. Three members of Syrian government forces were also wounded in the ambush.
According to U.S. Central Command, at least 50 ISIS members were killed or captured as a result of the February strikes. The campaign has struck more than 100 ISIS targets overall since retaliatory operations began on December 19, 2025, following the initial ambush.
The February strikes represented a continuation of sustained military pressure. Between January 27 and February 2, U.S. forces conducted five additional strikes targeting an ISIS communications center, a critical logistics node, and weapons storage facilities.
The initial December 19 retaliatory response involved more than 70 targets struck by American forces. In the most recent operation announced Saturday, 20 U.S. aircraft launched over 90 precision munitions across at least 35 locations in Syria. Video footage released by U.S. Central Command showed airstrikes causing significant destruction at multiple targets, with debris and smoke visible at impact sites.