US Launches Retaliatory Strikes in Syria, Targeting 70 ISIS Sites After Deadly Ambush

The US military has conducted a large-scale operation in central Syria, targeting 70 sites linked to Islamic State (IS) infrastructure and weapons. The strikes come days after a deadly ambush killed two US troops and a civilian interpreter, and are expected to be followed by further military action. According to the US defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, the operation, dubbed 'Operation Hawkeye Strike,' is a declaration of vengeance against IS. Hegseth emphasized that the US will not hesitate to defend its people and will continue to target IS strongholds in Syria. The US personnel targeted in the ambush were supporting Operation Inherent Resolve, an international effort to combat IS, which had seized significant territory in Syria and Iraq in 2014. President Donald Trump described the US retaliation as a response to IS's 'vicious killing' of American Patriots. Syria has been cooperating with the US-led coalition against IS, with the two countries reaching an agreement last month. However, the US presence in Syria remains contentious, with Trump having previously ordered the withdrawal of troops and reducing the number of personnel in the country. The Pentagon has announced plans to reduce the number of US bases in Syria, with the goal of eventually having only one base remaining. US forces are currently deployed in Syria's Kurdish-controlled northeast and at Al-Tanf near the border with Jordan. The Syrian government, led by former rebels who toppled President Bashar al-Assad last year, has expressed its commitment to fighting IS and ensuring that it has no safe havens on Syrian territory. The US strikes are a significant escalation of the conflict, and are likely to have far-reaching consequences for the region.