US Strikes Syria In Retaliation For Deaths Of Iowa National Guardsmen

(Washington, DC) The U.S. has launched air strikes targeting ISIS in Syria. That's according to Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, who announced on X Friday that U.S. forces conducted Operation Hawkeye Strike in response to an attack on U.S. forces on December 13. Two Iowa National Guardsmen and one civilian interpreter were killed in that attack.

The guardsmen were identified as 25-year old Edgar Torres Tovar of Des Moines and 29-year old Nate Howard of Marshalltown. Both Torres Tovar and Howard were members of the 1rst Squadron, 113th Calvary Regiment.

Hegseth posted on X:

"Earlier today, U.S. forces commenced OPERATION HAWKEYE STRIKE in Syria to eliminate ISIS fighters, infrastructure, and weapons sites in direct response to the attack on U.S. forces that occurred on December 13th in Palmyra, Syria.

This is not the beginning of a war — it is a declaration of vengeance. The United States of America, under President Trump’s leadership, will never hesitate and never relent to defend our people.

As we said directly following the savage attack, if you target Americans — anywhere in the world — you will spend the rest of your brief, anxious life knowing the United States will hunt you, find you, and ruthlessly kill you.

Today, we hunted and we killed our enemies. Lots of them. And we will continue."