A sudden attack by Islamic State (ISIS) militants in Syria’s Palmyra region resulted in the deaths of two American soldiers and a civilian translator, while three other US personnel sustained serious injuries. The soldiers were part of Operation Inherent Resolve, America’s mission to eliminate ISIS, and were meeting key local leaders when the assault occurred. President Donald Trump condemned the attack, describing it as an act of terrorism and warning of severe retaliation.
This marks the first US military fatalities in Syria since December last year, after Bashar al-Assad lost control over parts of the country. Syrian authorities confirmed that the attacker was affiliated with government forces but had already been neutralized and held no leadership role in the internal security department. They also claimed that warnings of potential ISIS attacks in Palmyra had been given to the US prior to the incident but were not acted upon.
BREAKING:
3 U.S. soldiers shot and wounded in an ambush in Syria during an anti-ISIS patrol near Palmyra.
The soldiers have been airlifted to the Al-Tanf base on the border with Iraq and Jordan pic.twitter.com/xWrlNc37RV
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) December 13, 2025
President Trump highlighted that the area where the attack occurred was not fully under the control of Syria’s new government. Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara expressed anger and distress over the incident, noting that he had recently met with Trump at the White House to discuss counterterrorism efforts. The attack underscores the ongoing security challenges in the region despite international coordination against ISIS.
US forces quickly responded and neutralized the ISIS assailant. Trump described the three deceased Americans as patriotic and expressed prayers for the speedy recovery of the injured soldiers. He reiterated that ISIS would face severe consequences for this attack, emphasizing the US commitment to protecting its personnel in the region.