Amid growing warnings in recent weeks about a resurgence of ISIS activity in Syria, and following announcements by Syria’s interim Interior Ministry forces and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) about the arrest of ISIS cells across multiple regions, Operation “Hawkeye Strike” has emerged as a significant military development. The US-led operation, which targeted dozens of ISIS positions in eastern Syria, came as the group carried out several attacks in close succession, particularly in the central desert region, underscoring that the organization remains an active security threat despite years of military pressure.
The operation also draws attention to the shape of the counter-ISIS strategy in the coming period, especially after Syria’s formal inclusion in the US-led international coalition against the group.
Dozens of Targets Hit
Operation “Hawkeye,” launched by US Central Command (CENTCOM) early Saturday, targeted more than 70 ISIS sites across the eastern provinces of Deir ez-Zor and Raqqa. According to CENTCOM, the strikes involved fighter jets, attack helicopters, and artillery, and were aimed at infrastructure facilities and weapons storage sites belonging to the group.
CENTCOM commander General Brad Cooper said the operation was designed to prevent ISIS from planning terrorist attacks against the United States. He noted that US forces had carried out 10 operations in Syria and Iraq following the December 13 attack on US forces in Syria, resulting in the killing or capture of 23 ISIS members.
US President Donald Trump confirmed that he had ordered what he described as a “large, successful, and precise military strike” against militants responsible for killing three US personnel in Syria. The Wall Street Journal, citing a US Defense Department official, reported that the strikes were carried out using F-15 and A-10 aircraft, Apache helicopters, and HIMARS rocket systems.
A Retaliatory Response
Commenting on Washington’s handling of the ISIS threat, particularly after the Palmyra desert attack that left US soldiers dead and wounded, international relations researcher Tarek Wahbi told +963 that President Trump tends to operate on a “reaction-and-response” basis. He argued that the latest operation falls within the framework of retaliatory action for the losses suffered by US forces.
Wahbi added that Washington is attempting to entangle Syrian authorities in a proxy confrontation on behalf of a US military presence that remains limited in numbers and focused on strategic objectives tied to energy resources in Syria’s desert regions. He suggested that the operation reflects a lack of coordination between US intelligence agencies and Syria’s current authorities in Damascus, despite Washington’s parallel efforts to offer economic assistance to the interim government.
According to Wahbi, Jordan also took part in the operation, as the United States seeks to minimize humanitarian fallout affecting its own forces. He argued that Washington continues to use ISIS as a justification for maintaining an expanded military project in Syria’s desert, which could evolve into the first joint Syrian-Iraqi program to monitor the shared border. He also noted that the SDF may play a key role in coordination or even ground operations.
Dozens of US Operations in Recent Months
Last Wednesday, CENTCOM said in a statement on its official website that US forces and partnered Syrian forces had carried out approximately 80 operations since July aimed at dismantling terrorist networks, including ISIS cells. These operations resulted in the arrest of 119 militants and the killing of 14 others over the past six months, significantly disrupting ISIS efforts to reorganize and launch attacks globally.
General Cooper stressed that operations in Syria are critical to preventing ISIS from reconstituting itself into a serious threat, describing them as tangible security gains achievable through close cooperation with Syrian forces. He reaffirmed that US troops would continue working with Syrian partners to pursue ISIS networks.
CENTCOM also revealed that over the past month, US forces worked with Syria’s interim Interior Ministry to identify and destroy more than 15 weapons cache sites linked to ISIS. Joint operations reportedly destroyed over 130 mortar rounds and rockets, as well as rifles, machine guns, anti-tank mines, and materials used to manufacture improvised explosive devices.
The command further noted that a US raid in July in the city of al-Bab, in northern Aleppo province, resulted in the killing of senior ISIS leader Diya’ Zoba Musleh Al-Hardani and his two sons, both members of the group.
Preparing for Future Threats
Wahbi cautioned that such operations should not be viewed solely as counterterrorism actions, describing them instead as advanced military exercises that could serve as preparation for potential external attacks or internal destabilization scenarios. He argued that ISIS is nearing collapse, particularly as camps housing families of ISIS members in SDF-controlled areas have become a political and financial burden, noting that the SDF has succeeded in repatriating foreign fighters to their home countries.
Following the launch of Operation “Hawkeye Strike,” Iraqi Deputy Commander of Joint Operations Qais al-Muhammadawi said Iraq had taken significant security measures based on past experiences in confronting ISIS, especially incidents along the Syrian-Iraqi border in 2013 and 2014. Speaking to the Iraqi News Agency (INA), he explained that coordination between Iraqi and Syrian forces takes place at the field-command level and includes intelligence sharing, extradition of wanted individuals, and efforts to prevent infiltration, though it has yet to reach higher levels of coordination between national security leaderships.
Regarding an Iraqi airborne operation inside Syria, al-Muhammadawi said it was conducted based on precise intelligence from Iraq’s Falcon Cell and followed extensive surveillance of specific targets within Syrian territory.
Last Thursday, Iraq’s Interior Ministry announced that its forces, in coordination with Syrian counterparts and with support from the international coalition, carried out an airborne operation northeast of Syria near the border. The operation resulted in the arrest of two individuals described as “important targets for the Iraqi judiciary,” with the ministry stating that it strengthened regional capacity to address cross-border security threats.
Security Breaches and Ongoing Arrests
On December 13, a US patrol accompanied by Syria’s Internal Security forces was attacked in the city of Palmyra, killing two US soldiers and a translator and injuring others, along with members of the Internal Security unit.
A Syrian security source later revealed that the attacker who targeted a joint Syrian-US military meeting in Palmyra was himself a member of the Internal Security apparatus. Agence France-Presse quoted the source as saying the individual had served for over 10 months in multiple regions before being transferred to Palmyra. More than 11 Internal Security personnel were arrested and referred for investigation immediately after the incident.
Last week, Syria’s interim Interior Ministry announced the arrest of ISIS cell members in the countryside of Aleppo and Idlib. In a statement published on Facebook, the ministry said the cell was responsible for several attacks on security and military patrols in both provinces, including an attack on a road security patrol in the Maarrat al-Numan area.
Separately, the SDF announced that it had dismantled an ISIS cell in the village of al-Hisan in Deir ez-Zor province, citing precise intelligence and sustained surveillance. The group said the cell was planning attacks against military and security forces, as well as civilian institutions, in an effort to undermine stability.
Commenting on Operation “Hawkeye Strike,” the SDF reaffirmed its full commitment to continuing the fight against ISIS and defending stability in Syria and the wider region. In a statement, it expressed appreciation for US and coalition air and missile strikes on ISIS hideouts, emphasizing that sustained air support remains decisive in preventing the group from regrouping or reviving its destabilizing activities.
