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An attack carried out by an alleged militant of the Islamic State (ISIS) in the city of Palmira, Syria, left three Americans dead—two soldiers and a civilian interpreter—and three others wounded, after which President Donald Trump vowed “serious retaliation.”
The attack occurred while U.S. and Syrian forces were engaged in "an operation with a key leader," as part of the joint operations of the international coalition against terrorism, as confirmed by the Pentagon in a statement from Central Command (CENTCOM).
The attacker, who reportedly acted alone, was shot down by "friendly forces" at the scene of the attack.
“We mourn the loss of three great patriots in Syria (...). We also pray for the three wounded soldiers, who are receiving care and are stable. This was an attack by ISIS against the United States and Syria. There will be serious reprisals,” wrote President Donald J. Trump on his official account on X.
The Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, confirmed that the attacker was neutralized by allied Syrian forces and issued a stern warning to terrorist groups attempting to target Americans.
"If you attack Americans anywhere in the world, you will spend the rest of your short and troubled life knowing that the United States will find you and eliminate you without mercy," Hegseth warned.
The three injured individuals were airlifted by helicopter to the U.S. military base in Al Tanf, near the border with Iraq, a strategic facility for the international coalition in its counter-terrorism operations.
The U.S. Ambassador to Turkey and Special Envoy for Syria, Tom Barrack, expressed his condolences to the families of the victims and emphasized Washington's commitment to the fight against terrorism alongside its Syrian allies.
"We mourn the loss of three brave individuals and wish a swift recovery to the injured. We remain committed to the total defeat of terrorism," he stated.
The president of Syria, Ahmed al-Sharaa —who visited the White House a month ago— also condemned the attack and expressed his “deep indignation” regarding the incident, according to the state agency SANA.
The attack comes at a particularly sensitive time, just weeks after Al Sharaa's historic visit to Washington, where both countries signed a political cooperation agreement to combat the Islamic State, marking a dramatic shift in bilateral relations after years of conflict.
Al Sharaa's visit to the U.S. capital had formalized Syria's participation in the coalition led by the United States against ISIS.
Washington has maintained a military presence in the northeast of the Arab country for over a decade, aiming to prevent the resurgence of terrorism and support local Kurdish forces.
The military cooperation between both governments —recently adversaries— has strengthened in recent months, but the attack puts that fragile alliance to the test.
In response, Damascus has intensified its internal operations against ISIS cells, with more than 70 suspects detained in recent weeks.
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