US Airstrikes Target 30+ ISIS Sites in Syria

The U.S. military conducted a series of 10 airstrikes against more than 30 Islamic State targets in Syria between February 3 and February 12, targeting weapons storage facilities and other infrastructure as part of an ongoing retaliation campaign for a deadly ambush last December.

U.S. Central Command announced the strikes on Saturday, stating they resulted in the death or capture of at least 50 Islamic State members. Since the operation began following the December 13 ambush near Palmyra, more than 100 targets have been hit overall. The initial wave of strikes in late December struck over 70 sites, according to U.S. officials. The ambush killed two American soldiers, Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar and Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard, along with civilian interpreter Ayad Mansoor Sakat.

The actions fall under Operation Hawkeye Strike, launched in response to the attack on U.S. personnel. In January, U.S. forces killed Bilal Hasan al-Jasim, an operative affiliated with al-Qaeda whom officials described as directly connected to the gunman responsible for the ambush. Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command, said at the time that such operations send a clear message that...