Three American citizens, including two U.S. service members and a civilian interpreter, were killed on Saturday in an ambush in central Syria, an attack the U.S. military says was carried out by an Islamic State-affiliated gunman. The assault took place near the historic city of Palmyra, where U.S. forces were conducting counter-terrorism operations alongside Syrian partners. In addition to the fatalities, three U.S. soldiers and several Syrian security personnel were wounded during the attack. The gunman was reportedly killed in the ensuing confrontation. Pentagon officials confirmed that the identities of the victims will remain confidential until their next-of-kin are notified.
President Donald Trump condemned the attack, pledging “very serious retaliation” against those responsible and describing the ambush as an “ISIS attack against the U.S. and Syria.” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reinforced the president’s warning, emphasizing that anyone targeting Americans would be relentlessly pursued and held accountable. U.S. leaders stressed that the attack would not deter ongoing operations to degrade remaining IS networks in the region.
The attack highlights the persistent threat posed by Islamic State cells in Syria and Iraq, despite the group losing its territorial stronghold in previous years. U.S. forces remain in Syria as part of an international coalition working to prevent the resurgence of IS and to support local allies. Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa expressed outrage over the ambush and reaffirmed cooperation with U.S. forces against extremist threats.
This incident marks the first attack in central Syria in recent years to result in U.S. combat fatalities, underscoring ongoing instability despite broader efforts to stabilize the country. The U.S. military continues to investigate the circumstances of the ambush, and officials emphasized that the identities of the three Americans will remain confidential until families are informed.
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