On Saturday, President Donald Trump assured the nation that there would be significant repercussions after a brutal ambush in Syria resulted in the deaths of two American soldiers and a civilian interpreter.
According to statements from US Central Command and the Department of Defense, the attack was executed by a lone ISIS gunman, injuring three others involved.
Trump addressed reporters at the White House, stating, “We will retaliate,” as he expressed condolences for “the loss of three great American patriots” and shared that the wounded seem to be recovering well.
The president highlighted the collaboration between US forces and Syrian troops, noting, “Syria, by the way, was fighting along with us.” He mentioned that Syria’s new president is deeply affected by this tragic event.
The Pentagon’s chief spokesperson, Sean Parnell, pointed out that the soldiers were engaged in ongoing counter-ISIS activities in the region, adding that their identities would remain private until their families are informed.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced that the assailant had been neutralized by allied forces.
In a pointed remark on social media, Hegseth warned, “If you target Americans anywhere in the world, you should know that the United States will pursue you relentlessly until there’s no escape.”
Moments after addressing the press, Trump reiterated his commitment to retaliate, labeling the assault as an ISIS operation against both the US and Syria. He also conveyed that Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa is “extremely angry and disturbed” by what transpired.
Trump made it clear, stating, “There will be very serious retaliation.”
On the same day, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani openly condemned the ambush.
Al-Shaibani extended condolences to the families of the victims and the US citizens, wishing a swift recovery to those who were injured.
In a recent visit in November, al-Sharaa became the first leader of Syria to visit the White House, aligning Syria closely with the US government following the downfall of the Assad regime.
Trump previously praised al-Sharaa as “a tough guy from a tough place,” ultimately showcasing a shift in relations as the US began to lift certain sanctions against Syria.
This brutal ambush follows Syria’s recent integration into the US-led coalition opposed to ISIS, which was formed back in 2014. The coalition has conducted extensive military operations in Syria and Iraq since.
US personnel have had a presence in multiple Syrian locations over the years, including the Al-Tanf garrison located in Homs province. This recent event marks the most severe attack since an incident in Manbij back in 2019 that led to the deaths of two American servicemen and two civilian counterparts.
As of now, ISIS has not taken responsibility for this recent ambush.
A spokesperson from the Syrian Interior Ministry revealed that warnings about the assailant had been issued to US-led forces prior to the fatal attack, indicating that security authorities were aware of potential threats.
Nour Eddin al-Baba mentioned during a report that leaders of the coalition were conducting a joint tour around the Badia region when hostility unfolded. The assailant opened fire as they entered a fortified command area native to Syrian Internal Security Forces.
The attacker exchanged shots with both Syrian and coalition guards before being eliminated. It was noted that he had been under scrutiny for displaying extremist tendencies.
Despite prior intelligence suggesting a possible threat, informed sources stated that these warnings were overlooked by coalition advisors.
An ongoing assessment expected to conclude on Wednesday could have potentially generated alert against the assailant, but unforeseen circumstances led to the assault occurring during a national holiday the following day.
News circulation indicated that vehicular movement was suspended on the route between Deir Ezzor and Damascus following Sunday’s events, accompanied by sightings of US combat aircraft in the vicinity.
According to the Syrian state news SANA, US helicopters were deployed to evacuate the injured to the Al-Tanf base, which is a confirmed US installation located in Eastern Syria, near the Iraqi boundary.
This report has been supplemented with new information.
Contributions to this story were made by CNN’s Alejandra Jaramillo.
