Three Americans were killed Saturday in a deadly ISIS ambush in central Syria, prompting President Donald Trump to vow “very serious retaliation” and marking the first U.S. military fatalities in the country since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime last year. The victims included two U.S. Army soldiers from the Iowa National Guard and a U.S. civilian interpreter who were supporting counterterrorism operations near Palmyra, a historically volatile region that has long served as a staging ground for ISIS activity. Three additional U.S. service members were wounded in the attack and were later evacuated for medical treatment.
Details of the Ambush in Palmyra
According to U.S. and Syrian officials, the attack occurred as American forces were providing security outside a building where senior Syrian Interior Ministry officials from Damascus were meeting with local counterparts. A lone gunman opened fire from a nearby structure using what appeared to be an automatic weapon, killing the Americans before Syrian security forces returned fire and killed the attacker. U.S. Central Command confirmed the incident was an ambush carried out by a single ISIS-affiliated gunman and emphasized it was not a “green-on-blue” attack, as the assailant was not part of the U.S.–Syrian partnered delegation.
ISIS Remains a Lethal Threat in Syria
While ISIS was declared territorially defeated in 2019, U.S. officials have long warned that the group continues to operate through sleeper cells capable of launching deadly attacks, particularly in central and eastern Syria. Pentagon officials noted that the attacker was previously associated with Syrian government security forces before later aligning himself with ISIS, underscoring the fluid and dangerous nature of the post–civil war security environment. Syrian officials also claimed they had issued intelligence warnings to U.S. counterparts about a potential ISIS attack in the region prior to Saturday’s ambush.
Trump and Defense Leaders Promise Retaliation
President Trump condemned the attack in a Truth Social post, mourning the fallen and warning that ISIS would face serious consequences for targeting Americans. “This was an ISIS attack against the U.S. and Syria, in a very dangerous part of Syria,” Trump wrote. “There will be very serious retaliation.” War Department Secretary Pete Hegseth reinforced that message, stating that anyone who targets Americans anywhere in the world will be hunted down and killed, signaling that the administration views the attack as a direct challenge to U.S. resolve.
U.S. Troop Presence and Strategic Questions
The attack comes at a sensitive moment as the United States continues to reduce its military footprint in Syria, drawing troop levels down from roughly 2,000 earlier this year to about 1,000 today. While the Assad regime’s collapse diminished threats from Iranian-backed militias and Russian forces, ISIS remains active and adaptive, raising new questions about force protection, mission clarity, and the risks American troops continue to face in a region still struggling to stabilize after nearly 14 years of civil war.
Iowa National Guard Losses Confirmed
Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds confirmed that the two fallen soldiers were members of the Iowa National Guard assigned to the Syria mission, a reminder that Guard units continue to shoulder front-line responsibilities in overseas counterterror operations. Their deaths represent the first U.S. military casualties in Syria since Assad’s removal and serve as a stark illustration that the conflict, while less visible to the American public, remains dangerous and unresolved.
A Word of Condolence
The Steadfast and Loyal team extends its deepest condolences to the families of the fallen soldiers and the civilian interpreter who lost their lives in this attack. We honor their sacrifice, pray for the wounded as they recover, and stand with the loved ones and fellow service members mourning this loss. Their service, courage, and commitment to protecting Americans at home and abroad will not be forgotten.
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