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العربية
The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced the launch of a large-scale military operation under the name “Eye of the Hawk” against the Daesh terrorist organization in Syria, in response to the attack that targeted U.S. and Syrian forces in the city of Palmyra last Saturday.
CENTCOM explained in a statement published on the X platform on Saturday, December 20, that its forces carried out strikes on more than 70 targets at several locations in central Syria, using fighter jets, attack helicopters, and artillery, with the participation of the Jordanian Armed Forces, which provided aerial support for the operation. It noted that more than 100 precision-guided munitions were used to strike known ISIS infrastructure and weapons sites.
The Commander of U.S. Central Command, Admiral Brad Cooper, said that the operation aims to “prevent ISIS from planning and inciting terrorist attacks against U.S. territory,” affirming the continued pursuit of the organization elements that pose a threat to the United States and its partners in the region.
For his part, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced that the “Eye of the Hawk” operation seeks to eliminate Daesh fighters, their infrastructure, and their weapons sites, as a direct response to the attack that occurred on December 13 in Palmyra in central Syria.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed that the Syrian government supports the military operation against Daesh noting that the United States is carrying out a “harsh response” to the attack that claimed the lives of American soldiers, and affirming that the strikes were executed with precision and achieved their objectives.
On its part, the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates reaffirmed Syria’s firm commitment to combating Daesh and preventing the existence of any safe havens for the organization on Syrian territory, indicating that military operations against it will continue to be intensified. The ministry offered its condolences to the families of the victims among Syrian and American security personnel who were killed in the recent terrorist attacks, and called for enhanced international cooperation in the field of counterterrorism.
It is worth noting that a Daesh militant targeted a gathering in the city of Palmyra that included officials from the Desert Security Command and a delegation from the International Coalition forces, opening fire on the joint Syrian–American forces. This resulted in the killing of two American soldiers and a civilian interpreter, and the injury of others.
