Three American soldiers were killed on Saturday in Syria after an ambush carried out by a member of the Islamic State group, according to the US military. The incident happened during an operation linked to counter-terrorism efforts in the country.
US Central Command, which manages American military operations in the Middle East, confirmed the attack in a post on X. “Two US service members and one US civilian were killed, and three service members were injured, as a result of an ambush by a lone ISIS gunman in Syria. The gunman was engaged and killed,”
CENTCOM said American and partner forces responded quickly and shot dead the attacker.
U.S. Personnel Ambushed by ISIS Gunman in Syria
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) December 13, 2025
TAMPA, Fla. – On Dec. 13, two U.S. service members and one U.S. civilian were killed, and three service members were injured, as a result of an ambush by a lone ISIS gunman in Syria. The gunman was engaged and killed.
As a matter…
Details withheld for now
The military said it would not release the names of the fallen service members for at least 24 hours. Officials explained that this follows Department of War policy and ensures families receive formal notification first. Authorities added that they will share more details once more information is confirmed.
Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell also said the identities of the deceased troops would remain confidential until their families are informed.
Mission focused on counter-terrorism
Parnell said the soldiers came under fire while they “were conducting a key leader engagement” as part of counter-terrorism operations. These missions aim to disrupt extremist networks and support stability in the region.
Meanwhile, US envoy to Syria Tom Barrack said the attack targeted “a joint US–Syrian government patrol,” highlighting coordination between American forces and local partners.
Strong response from US leadership
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth condemned the attack and confirmed the attacker’s death in a message on X. “The savage who perpetrated this attack was killed by partner forces,”
The savage who perpetrated this attack was killed by partner forces.
— Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) December 13, 2025
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. https://t.co/P7D9NrWpAL
US officials stressed that operations against ISIS will continue despite the incident.
First such attack after political shift
This ambush is the first reported of its kind since Islamist-led forces removed longtime Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad in December last year. That political change also led to renewed engagement between Syria and the United States.
The attack took place nearly a year after Assad fled Syria as opposition fighters moved toward Damascus. He later received asylum in Russia and said in a statement that he wanted to continue resisting.