The U.S. military announced Tuesday that it has successfully killed or captured nearly 25 ISIS operatives in Syria during a nine-day campaign launched in response to a deadly terror attack that left two American soldiers and an interpreter dead earlier this month.
According to U.S. Central Command, the coordinated counterterrorism effort included 11 missions carried out between December 20 and 29, resulting in the deaths of seven ISIS terrorists and the capture of over a dozen more. The operation came just days after U.S. and Jordanian forces conducted joint airstrikes targeting more than 70 ISIS sites across Syria.
“We will not relent,” declared Admiral Brad Cooper, who leads Central Command. “We are steadfast in commitment to working with regional partners to root out the ISIS threat posed to U.S. and regional security.”
In addition to neutralizing ISIS fighters, the U.S. military and its partners also destroyed four weapons caches and several ISIS infrastructure sites during the course of the operations. The December 19 strikes, which used fighter jets, attack helicopters, and artillery, were focused on dismantling the terror group’s remaining network in central Syria.
War Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed the strikes were a direct response to the ISIS ambush that killed 29-year-old Sgt. Nate Howard and 25-year-old Sgt. Edgar Torres-Tovar, both members of the Iowa National Guard, along with American interpreter Ayad Mansoor Sakat.
“As we said directly following the savage attack, 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,” Hegseth said.
This marks one of the most aggressive anti-ISIS offensives in recent memory. Central Command reported that throughout 2025, at least 11 terror plots or attempted attacks in the United States were linked to ISIS. U.S. and partner forces have now killed over 20 ISIS fighters and captured more than 300 suspects this year in Syria alone.
On the domestic front, the Justice Department also unsealed a case Monday against 21-year-old John Michael Garza of Texas, who was arrested for allegedly providing materials and financial support to ISIS. According to court records, Garza admitted to holding ISIS sympathies and sending cryptocurrency payments intended to fund weapons purchases for the group.
The latest round of strikes underscores the Trump administration’s zero-tolerance approach toward Islamic terrorism, following a year marked by renewed vigilance against foreign and domestic terror threats. With bipartisan support for continued operations in the region, officials have warned that despite territorial losses, ISIS remains a serious and evolving threat.
Admiral Cooper reiterated the U.S. military’s mission: “Continuing to hunt down terrorist operatives, eliminate ISIS networks, and work with partners to prevent an ISIS resurgence makes America, the region, and the world safer.”
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