KABUL: Pentagon Chief Pete Hegseth has announced that the United States military has launched an operation named “Hawkeye Strike” against the extremist group ISIS in Syria.
Hegseth said in a statement on social media platform X early this morning, that this is not the beginning of a war but rather a declaration of “revenge and a direct response” to last week’s attack on US military personnel in the Palmyra region of Syria.
According to him, the operation will aim to destroy “fighters, infrastructure, and weaponry” associated with ISIS. He stated, “This is not the beginning of a war — but a declaration of revenge. The United States, under President Trump, will never hesitate in defending its people and will not back down.”
While Hegseth mentioned that a number of ISIS members were killed in the initial stages of the operation, he did not specify the exact figures.
This operation comes on the heels of an agreement last week between the United States and the Syrian government to collaborate in the fight against ISIS.