US Strikes Over 30 ISIS Targets in Syria

The US military has conducted more than 30 airstrikes against Islamic State (ISIS) targets in Syria this month, maintaining pressure on the jihadist group following a deadly attack on US personnel last year.

According to a statement from the United States Central Command (CENTCOM), the strikes, carried out between February 3 and February 12, targeted ISIS infrastructure and weapons storage sites. Earlier operations between January 27 and February 2 also hit an ISIS communication site, critical logistics node, and additional weapons facilities.

“US forces conducted 10 strikes against more than 30 ISIS targets in Syria… to sustain relentless military pressure on remnants of the terrorist network,” CENTCOM said.

The military action comes alongside the recent transfer of thousands of ISIS detainees from Syria to Iraq. CENTCOM confirmed that over 5,700 prisoners, originating from 61 countries, were relocated as part of an operation launched last month following concerns over the fate of detainees in prisons formerly run by Kurdish-led forces.

The strikes follow a December 13 ambush in Palmyra in which an ISIS fighter killed two US soldiers and a US civilian interpreter. Washington identified the attacker as a former member of Syria’s security forces who had faced dismissal for extremist ties, prompting the launch of Operation Hawkeye Strike. CENTCOM reported that over the past two months, more than 50 ISIS fighters have been killed or captured, and more than 100 ISIS infrastructure targets were destroyed using precision munitions.

The US-led coalition, in partnership with Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, played a key role in defeating ISIS territorially in Syria in 2019. However, with Damascus extending control across the country, Washington recently confirmed the withdrawal of US forces from the Al-Tanf base near the Syrian border with Jordan and Iraq, signaling a shift in US involvement.