ISIS Attack Kills Two US Soldiers and Interpreter in Syria; US Forces Launch Raids, Arrests in Palmyra (Updated with the latest information from the field)
Two US Army soldiers and a civilian interpreter were killed in an Islamic State attack on Saturday in Palmyra, Syria, where they were supporting counterterrorism operations, the Pentagon confirmed. Three additional personnel were wounded in the assault, which targeted a joint American-Syrian patrol in the volatile central Syrian desert.
According to reports from T24, Syria TV, and Reuters, the armed assault occurred while a convoy of US-led coalition forces and Syrian security personnel conducted a routine patrol in the Tadmur district of Homs province. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell confirmed the casualties, while Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that the attacker was killed by partner forces during the incident.
In the latest development, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that US military aircraft fired flare grenades over Palmyra City, coinciding with significant field movements by American forces inside the city. According to reliable SOHR sources, US forces imposed a security cordon on Al-Wady Street in Palmyra and carried out storming operations, arresting several individuals in what appears to be a swift response to the deadly attack.
SOHR confirmed that three Americans were killed in the assault, including a civilian translator, while three members of Syrian government forces were injured. The monitoring group identified the attacker as a member of the Security Forces of the Interim Government.
Three local officials separately told Reuters that the gunman was a member of Syrian security forces. A Syrian interior ministry spokesperson told Syrian television channel Al-Ikhbariya that the attacker did not hold a leadership role within the security apparatus, though he declined to specify whether the individual was a junior member. US Central Command has since confirmed the killer was a member of the Islamic State terror group, suggesting the extremist organization had successfully infiltrated Syrian government forces.
The Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported that two members of Syrian security forces were also wounded in the attack. American military helicopters were rapidly deployed to conduct emergency evacuation operations, airlifting the casualties to Al-Tanf base, a strategic US outpost near Syria's borders with Iraq and Jordan.
The identities of the fallen soldiers will be withheld from public release for 24 hours to allow the US government to privately notify the victims' families.
The attack prompted swift and forceful responses from senior US officials. US Ambassador Tom Barrack issued a statement strongly condemning what he called a "cowardly terrorist ambush."
"We mourn the loss of three brave U.S. service members and civilian personnel and wish a speedy recovery to the Syrian troops wounded in the attack. We remain committed to defeating terrorism with our Syrian partners," Barrack wrote.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth delivered a stark warning: "The savage who perpetrated this attack was killed by partner forces. Let it be known, if you target Americans — anywhere in the world — you will spend the rest of your brief, anxious life knowing the United States will hunt you, find you, and ruthlessly kill you."
President Donald Trump expressed condolences while promising consequences, stating that Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa was "extremely angry and disturbed by this attack," and warning that "there will be very serious retaliation."
The General Command of the Syrian Democratic Forces issued a statement offering condolences and strongly condemning the "terrorist" assault. The SDF stressed that its forces "will not allow terrorist organizations to reorganize their ranks," affirming "full readiness to transfer the battle against terrorism to any part of Syrian territory and eliminate it wherever it is found, without leniency or retreat."
Traffic along the international Deir Ezzor-Damascus highway remained suspended as coalition aircraft conducted intensive sorties over the region.
Last Update
Two US Army soldiers and a civilian interpreter were killed in an Islamic State attack on Saturday in Palmyra, Syria, where they were supporting counterterrorism operations, the Pentagon confirmed. Three additional personnel were wounded in the assault, which targeted a joint American-Syrian patrol in the volatile central Syrian desert.
According to reports from T24, Syria TV, and Reuters, the armed assault occurred while a convoy of US-led coalition forces and Syrian security personnel conducted a routine patrol in the Tadmur district of Homs province. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell confirmed the casualties, while Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that the attacker was killed by partner forces during the incident.
In a disturbing revelation, three local officials told Reuters that the gunman was a member of Syrian security forces. A Syrian interior ministry spokesperson told Syrian television channel Al-Ikhbariya that the attacker did not hold a leadership role within the security apparatus, though he declined to specify whether the individual was a junior member. US Central Command has since confirmed the killer was a member of the Islamic State terror group, suggesting the extremist organization had successfully infiltrated Syrian government forces.
The Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported that two members of Syrian security forces were also wounded in the attack. American military helicopters were rapidly deployed to conduct emergency evacuation operations, airlifting the casualties to Al-Tanf base, a strategic US outpost near Syria's borders with Iraq and Jordan.
The identities of the fallen soldiers will be withheld from public release for 24 hours to allow the US government to privately notify the victims' families.
The attack prompted swift and forceful responses from senior US officials. US Ambassador Tom Barrack issued a statement strongly condemning what he called a "cowardly terrorist ambush."
"We mourn the loss of three brave U.S. service members and civilian personnel and wish a speedy recovery to the Syrian troops wounded in the attack. We remain committed to defeating terrorism with our Syrian partners," Barrack wrote.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth delivered a stark warning to potential attackers: "The savage who perpetrated this attack was killed by partner forces. Let it be known, if you target Americans — anywhere in the world — you will spend the rest of your brief, anxious life knowing the United States will hunt you, find you, and ruthlessly kill you."
President Donald Trump also addressed the deadly incident, expressing condolences while promising consequences. "We mourn the loss of three Great American Patriots in Syria, two soldiers, and one Civilian Interpreter. Likewise, we pray for the three injured soldiers who, it has just been confirmed, are doing well," Trump stated.
The President added that Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa was "extremely angry and disturbed by this attack," warning that "there will be very serious retaliation."
The General Command of the Syrian Democratic Forces issued a statement offering condolences to the US Army and the American people following the deadly attack. The SDF strongly condemned the "terrorist" assault, stressing that its forces, in full coordination with the International Coalition, "will not allow terrorist organizations to reorganize their ranks or threaten the security of the region and the world again."
The Kurdish-led force emphasized that "the response will be firm and direct against those who carried out and supported the attack." The statement noted that the SDF has "proven its ability to dismantle the military structure of ISIS mercenaries and uproot them in northeast Syria," affirming "full readiness to transfer the battle against terrorism to any part of Syrian territory and eliminate it wherever it is found, without leniency or retreat."
The SDF concluded by expressing "full solidarity with the families of the victims and their comrades" while wishing a speedy recovery to the wounded.
The incident triggered a significant military response, with coalition helicopters and fighter aircraft conducting intensive sorties over Tadmur airspace. Traffic along the international Deir Ezzor-Damascus highway was temporarily suspended as security forces secured the area.
The attack underscores the enduring threat posed by ISIS remnants operating throughout Syria's central desert, where the extremist group continues to conduct guerrilla-style operations despite years of counterterrorism efforts.
Previous Information
Two US Army soldiers and a civilian interpreter were killed in an Islamic State attack on Saturday in Palmyra, Syria, where they were supporting counterterrorism operations, the Pentagon confirmed. Three additional personnel were wounded in the assault, which targeted a joint American-Syrian patrol in the volatile central Syrian desert.
According to reports from T24, Syria TV, and Reuters, the armed assault occurred while a convoy of US-led coalition forces and Syrian security personnel conducted a routine patrol in the Tadmur district of Homs province. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell confirmed the casualties, while Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that the attacker was killed by partner forces during the incident.
In a disturbing revelation, three local officials told Reuters that the gunman was a member of Syrian security forces. A Syrian interior ministry spokesperson told Syrian television channel Al-Ikhbariya that the attacker did not hold a leadership role within the security apparatus, though he declined to specify whether the individual was a junior member. US Central Command has since confirmed the killer was a member of the Islamic State terror group, suggesting the extremist organization had successfully infiltrated Syrian government forces.
The Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported that two members of Syrian security forces were also wounded in the attack. American military helicopters were rapidly deployed to conduct emergency evacuation operations, airlifting the casualties to Al-Tanf base, a strategic US outpost near Syria's borders with Iraq and Jordan.
The identities of the fallen soldiers will be withheld from public release for 24 hours to allow the US government to privately notify the victims' families.
The attack prompted swift and forceful responses from senior US officials. US Ambassador Tom Barrack issued a statement strongly condemning what he called a "cowardly terrorist ambush."
"We mourn the loss of three brave U.S. service members and civilian personnel and wish a speedy recovery to the Syrian troops wounded in the attack. We remain committed to defeating terrorism with our Syrian partners," Barrack wrote.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth delivered a stark warning to potential attackers: "The savage who perpetrated this attack was killed by partner forces. Let it be known, if you target Americans — anywhere in the world — you will spend the rest of your brief, anxious life knowing the United States will hunt you, find you, and ruthlessly kill you."
President Donald Trump also addressed the deadly incident, expressing condolences while promising consequences. "We mourn the loss of three Great American Patriots in Syria, two soldiers, and one Civilian Interpreter. Likewise, we pray for the three injured soldiers who, it has just been confirmed, are doing well," Trump stated.
The President added that Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa was "extremely angry and disturbed by this attack," warning that "there will be very serious retaliation."
Trump noted that the attack occurred "in a very dangerous part of Syria that is not fully controlled" by Syrian authorities, highlighting the persistent security challenges in the region despite the territorial defeat of ISIS's self-declared caliphate in 2019.
The incident triggered a significant military response, with coalition helicopters and fighter aircraft conducting intensive sorties over Tadmur airspace. Traffic along the international Deir Ezzor-Damascus highway was temporarily suspended as security forces secured the area.
The attack underscores the enduring threat posed by ISIS remnants operating throughout Syria's central desert, where the extremist group continues to conduct guerrilla-style operations despite years of counterterrorism efforts by coalition forces and local partners.
Previous Update
A joint patrol comprising United States military personnel and Syrian security forces came under fire near the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria on Friday, leaving one person dead and multiple casualties on both sides, according to multiple reports. The attack occurred in the Tadmur district of Homs province while the forces were conducting a routine security patrol as part of ongoing counter-ISIS operations in the region.
According to reports from T24 and Syria TV, the armed assault targeted a convoy consisting of US-led coalition forces and Syrian army elements operating in the area. Syria TV, citing an exclusive source, reported that one member of Syria's internal security forces was killed in the attack, while three American soldiers sustained injuries. T24 reported that Syrian soldiers were also among the wounded, with Reuters confirming at least one fatality in the incident.
The Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) provided additional details through an official security source, stating that both Syrian security forces and American troops were targeted while executing a joint field mission near Palmyra. The security source confirmed that two Syrian security personnel were wounded alongside several US military members. Crucially, the source also revealed that the gunman responsible for the attack was killed, though no further information regarding the assailant's identity, motives, or the circumstances surrounding the incident has been released.
In the immediate aftermath of the attack, US military helicopters were rapidly deployed to the scene to conduct emergency evacuation operations. The wounded personnel were airlifted to the Al-Tanf military base, a strategic American outpost located near Syria's border with Iraq and Jordan. The base has served as a key hub for US operations against ISIS remnants in the Syrian desert.
The incident triggered a significant security response across the region. Sources indicated that coalition military helicopters and fighter aircraft began conducting intensive sorties over Tadmur airspace following the attack. Security measures in the surrounding area were substantially heightened as authorities worked to assess the situation and prevent any further incidents.
The attack also caused considerable disruption to civilian movement in the area. Traffic along the international highway connecting Deir Ezzor to Damascus was temporarily halted as security forces responded to the incident and secured the vicinity.
The joint patrol operations between American and Syrian forces represent part of broader efforts to maintain security and combat the persistent threat posed by ISIS cells operating in Syria's central desert region. Despite the territorial defeat of the Islamic State's self-declared caliphate in 2019, remnants of the extremist group continue to conduct guerrilla-style attacks throughout the Syrian desert.
US forces have maintained a presence in Syria primarily focused on the counter-ISIS mission, operating alongside various local partners. The Al-Tanf base, where the wounded were evacuated, has been a focal point of American military activity in the region.
Authorities have not yet disclosed whether the attack was carried out by ISIS affiliates or other armed elements. An investigation into the incident is expected to be conducted to determine the full circumstances and motivations behind the deadly assault.