President Donald Trump on Saturday promised “very serious retaliation” after two U.S. soldiers and a civilian interpreter were killed in an ambush in Syria, the deadliest attack on American forces there in years.
The assault, carried out by a single gunman affiliated with the Islamic State group, also wounded three other U.S. personnel, according to U.S. Central Command and the Pentagon. The attacker was later killed by partner forces, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Mr. Trump said the country was mourning “the loss of three great American patriots” and added that the wounded were expected to recover. He emphasized that American troops were operating alongside Syrian forces at the time of the attack and said Syria’s president was “devastated by what happened.”
“There will be very serious retaliation,” Mr. Trump said, a warning he repeated minutes later in a social media post, describing the incident as an ISIS attack in a volatile region of Syria that remains only partially under government control.
The U.S. soldiers killed were members of the Iowa National Guard, according to Governor Kim Reynolds, whose office said their names would be released on Sunday after family notifications. Three additional Guard members from Iowa were wounded, two of them evacuated immediately for medical care.
“Today our hearts are heavy,” Ms. Reynolds said, calling on Iowans to support the families of the fallen. About 1,800 Iowa National Guard troops deployed to the Middle East in late May as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the U.S.-led campaign to defeat ISIS.
Pentagon officials said the troops were engaged in counterterrorism operations at the time of the ambush. ISIS has not publicly claimed responsibility.
The attack comes as Washington and Damascus attempt to recalibrate relations following the collapse of Syria’s Assad-era government last year. Syria joined the U.S.-led coalition against ISIS only a month ago, and President Ahmed al-Sharaa has sought closer ties with Washington after the United States partially lifted sanctions earlier this year.
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani condemned the attack and offered condolences to the victims’ families.
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U.S. forces have operated for years across Syria, including at the Al-Tanf garrison, and have periodically come under fire. Saturday’s ambush was the deadliest involving American personnel since a 2019 bombing in Manbij that killed four U.S. citizens.
As investigators assess the circumstances of the attack, the White House’s warning signaled that the response may extend well beyond the battlefield where the lives were lost.