US Launches Airstrikes Against ISIS Targets in Syria

Retaliation for December ambush that killed 2 US soldiers and 1 civilian interpreter

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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The U.S. military has conducted a series of airstrikes against Islamic State group targets in Syria in retaliation for a December ambush that killed two U.S. soldiers and one American civilian interpreter. U.S. Central Command reported that American aircraft carried out 10 strikes against more than 30 IS targets between February 3 and Thursday, hitting weapons storage facilities and other infrastructure. The strikes have killed or captured at least 50 members of IS, with over 100 IS targets struck since the U.S. began its response to the December 13 attack.

Why it matters

The airstrikes represent the U.S. military's continued efforts to combat the Islamic State group, which has carried out attacks on U.S. and coalition forces in Syria. The December ambush that prompted the latest strikes was a deadly reminder of the ongoing threat posed by ISIS, even as the group has lost much of the territory it once controlled in the region.

The details

According to U.S. Central Command, the airstrikes targeted weapons storage facilities and other ISIS infrastructure. The strikes were in response to the December 13 ambush that killed two U.S. soldiers - Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar and Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard - as well as an American civilian interpreter, Ayad Mansoor Sakat.

  • The airstrikes were conducted between February 3 and Thursday, 2026.
  • The December 13 ambush that prompted the strikes occurred in 2025.

The players

U.S. Central Command

The U.S. military's regional command responsible for operations in the Middle East, including Syria.

Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar

One of the two U.S. soldiers killed in the December 2025 ambush in Syria.

Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard

One of the two U.S. soldiers killed in the December 2025 ambush in Syria.

Ayad Mansoor Sakat

The American civilian interpreter killed in the December 2025 ambush in Syria.

Syrian Defense Ministry

The government agency responsible for Syria's military forces, which recently took control of a base in eastern Syria that was previously run by U.S. troops.

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What they’re saying

“The U.S. military on Saturday reported a series of strikes against Islamic State group targets in Syria in retaliation for the December ambush that killed two U.S. soldiers and one American civilian interpreter.”

— U.S. Central Command (mymotherlode.com)

What’s next

The U.S. military has completed the transfer of thousands of ISIS detainees from Syria to Iraq, where they are expected to stand trial.

The takeaway

The latest airstrikes demonstrate the U.S. military's ongoing commitment to combating the Islamic State group in Syria, even as the group has lost much of the territory it once controlled. The strikes were a direct response to a deadly attack that killed American soldiers and a civilian, underscoring the continued threat posed by ISIS in the region.