Trump Vows Retaliation After ISIS Kills 3 Americans in Syria/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ President Donald Trump vowed retaliation after an Islamic State attack in Syria killed two U.S. service members and one American civilian. The ambush near Palmyra marks the first U.S. fatalities in Syria since Bashar Assad’s fall. U.S. officials say the attack underscores the ongoing threat posed by ISIS sleeper cells.
Quick Read: Syria Attack and US Response
- Two U.S. service members and one American civilian were killed in Syria
- The U.S. blames the attack on the Islamic State group
- Trump said, “We will retaliate,” confirming a forceful response
- The attack occurred near Palmyra in central Syria
- Three others were wounded and evacuated by helicopter
- The civilian victim was a U.S. interpreter
- ISIS was defeated in 2019 but retains active sleeper cells
- The U.S. maintains hundreds of troops in eastern Syria
- Syria recently joined the international anti-ISIS coalition
- This is the first deadly attack on U.S. forces since Assad’s fall
Deep Look: Trump Warns of Retaliation After ISIS Kills Three Americans in Syria
“This is an ISIS attack,” Trump told reporters at the White House as he departed for the Army–Navy football game in Baltimore. Offering condolences to the victims’ families, Trump added that three wounded Americans “seem to be doing pretty well.”
The attack represents a major escalation in security concerns for U.S. forces operating in Syria and marks the first American fatalities in the country since the fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad one year ago.
What Happened Near Palmyra
According to U.S. Central Command, the Americans were killed during an ambush carried out by a lone ISIS attacker near the historic city of Palmyra. The gunman opened fire near a military post before being killed, officials said.
The attack targeted U.S. troops involved in ongoing counterterrorism operations, according to Pentagon chief spokesman Sean Parnell, who confirmed that the American civilian killed was working as a U.S. interpreter.
As a matter of protocol, the identities of the slain service members are being withheld until 24 hours after their next of kin are notified.
Conflicting Accounts on the Attacker
Initial reports from Syria’s state-run SANA news agency said the shooting wounded Syrian security personnel along with U.S. troops. Casualties were evacuated by helicopter to the al-Tanf garrison, a U.S. base near the borders of Syria, Iraq and Jordan.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitoring group, claimed the attacker was a member of Syrian security forces. However, Syria’s Interior Ministry spokesman Nour al-Din al-Baba denied that assertion, saying the gunman was linked to ISIS ideology and opened fire at the gate of a military post. Syrian authorities are still investigating whether the attacker was formally affiliated with ISIS or acting independently while embracing its extremist ideology.
US Officials Issue Stark Warnings
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a blunt warning following the attack, posting on social media that anyone who targets Americans “will spend the rest of your brief, anxious life knowing the United States will hunt you, find you, and ruthlessly kill you.”
The statement reflects the Trump administration’s hardline posture toward militant groups and signals that a U.S. military response is likely.
The Broader Context in Syria
The United States maintains hundreds of troops in eastern and central Syria as part of an international coalition fighting ISIS. Although the group lost its territorial stronghold in 2019, the United Nations estimates ISIS still has between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters spread across Syria and Iraq, operating largely through sleeper cells.
Last month, Syria formally joined the international coalition against ISIS, marking a dramatic shift following the ouster of Assad and the end of five decades of family rule. The country’s interim president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, recently visited Washington, where he held talks with Trump in a historic meeting signaling warming ties.
Under Assad, the U.S. had no diplomatic relations with Damascus. Those ties have begun to normalize amid efforts to stabilize Syria and prevent a resurgence of extremist groups.
A History of Attacks on US Forces
U.S. troops in Syria have been targeted before. One of the deadliest attacks occurred in 2019 in Manbij, where a bombing killed two U.S. service members and two American civilians during a patrol. Saturday’s ambush underscores the persistent danger faced by U.S. forces despite years of counterterrorism operations.
As investigations continue, the Trump administration’s promise of retaliation suggests that U.S. military action against ISIS targets could soon follow, even as Washington works to redefine its role in a post-Assad Syria.
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