Trump vows retaliation after Syria attack kills three Americans, blamed on IS

President Donald Trump on Saturday vowed “very serious retaliation” following an attack in Syria that killed two U.S. service members and an American civilian, an assault the United States says was carried out by the Islamic State (IS) group.

In a social media post, Trump described the incident as an ISIS attack against U.S. forces in a volatile part of Syria that remains outside full government control. Speaking later to reporters at the White House, he said Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa was “devastated by what happened” and emphasized that Syrian forces are fighting alongside U.S. troops in the country.

Trump added that al-Sharaa was “extremely angry and disturbed by this attack,” reiterating that the assault targeted American personnel engaged in counterterrorism operations.

Republican Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa said the two slain soldiers were members of the Iowa National Guard, where she previously served. “Our Iowa National Guard family is hurting as we mourn the loss of two of our own and pray for the recovery of the three soldiers wounded,” she said.

U.S. Central Command confirmed that three additional service members were wounded in the ambush, which it said was carried out by a lone IS attacker in central Syria. Trump said the injured troops “seem to be doing pretty well,” while the U.S. military reported that the gunman was killed during the incident. Syrian officials also said members of the country’s security forces were wounded.

The assault marked the first fatal attack on U.S. troops in Syria since the fall of former President Bashar Assad a year ago. “There will be very serious retaliation,” Trump repeated on his Truth Social platform.

Pentagon chief spokesman Sean Parnell said the American civilian killed was a U.S. interpreter. He added that the attack is under active investigation and targeted soldiers involved in ongoing counterterrorism missions.

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds said the names of the deceased soldiers would be withheld until at least 24 hours after next-of-kin notifications were completed. “Our hearts are heavy today, and our prayers and deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of our soldiers killed in action,” she said.

According to Syria’s state-run SANA news agency, the shooting occurred near the historic city of Palmyra. Casualties were evacuated by helicopter to the U.S.-run al-Tanf garrison near the borders with Iraq and Jordan.

Syria’s Interior Ministry spokesman, Nour al-Din al-Baba, said a gunman linked to IS opened fire at the gate of a military post. He later said the attacker was a member of Syria’s Internal Security forces in the desert region but held no command position and was not assigned as a bodyguard. Al-Baba explained that thousands of personnel serve in the desert force and undergo weekly evaluations. An assessment days earlier had reportedly raised concerns about the attacker’s extremist ideology, with a decision pending when the attack occurred on a public holiday.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned in a post on X: “Let it be known, 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.”

U.S. officials did not publicly confirm claims that the gunman was part of Syrian security forces. A Pentagon official, speaking anonymously, said only that the attack took place in an area not fully controlled by the Syrian president.

The United States maintains hundreds of troops in eastern Syria as part of a coalition fighting IS. While the extremist group was territorially defeated in 2019, the United Nations estimates it still has between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters operating in Syria and Iraq through sleeper cells.

Relations between Washington and Damascus have improved since Assad’s ouster. Al-Sharaa, who led the rebel forces that toppled Assad in December 2024 and became interim president in January, made a historic visit to Washington last month after the U.S. lifted long-standing sanctions. Syria has since joined the international coalition against IS as it rebuilds ties with Western nations.

Despite years of counterterrorism efforts, U.S. troops in Syria — including those stationed at al-Tanf — have periodically been targeted. One of the deadliest previous attacks occurred in 2019, when a blast in the northern town of Manbij killed two U.S. service members and two American civilians during a patrol.
Ap