December 13, 2025, 6:04 p.mDecember 13, 2025, 6:07 p.m
According to the Pentagon, two US soldiers and a US interpreter were killed in an attack in Syria and three other people were injured. The deadly attack took place in the city of Palmyra, a Pentagon spokesman wrote on X. Their mission was to support ongoing operations against IS and terrorism in the region.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reposted the tweet and wrote that the attacker was killed by allied forces. He went on to write: “Rest assured: If you attack Americans, anywhere in the world, you will live the rest of your short, fearful lives knowing that the United States will hunt you down, find you, and kill you without mercy.” The US military command center responsible for the region (Centcom) spoke of a lone perpetrator.
The Syrian state news agency Sana had previously reported that US forces had come under fire in Syria. Several military personnel were injured in the attack near the ancient city of Palmyra. Two members of the Syrian armed forces were also injured. The attack occurred during a joint site inspection in the area, Sana reported, citing security sources.
US helicopters flew the wounded to the al-Tanf military base near the Syrian border with Jordan and Iraq, Sana reported, citing the unnamed source. The attacker was killed. However, there is initially no information about the motive or the exact circumstances of the incident. Nobody initially claimed responsibility for the crime.
Palmyra in the Syrian desert is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has been the site of heavy fighting in the past. Before the civil war in Syria began in March 2011, the site was a popular destination for archaeologists and tourists.
The USA leads an international coalition in Syria and neighboring Iraq to fight the terrorist militia Islamic State (IS). The operation began after IS overran large areas in both countries in 2014. IS is considered to have been defeated militarily, but IS fighters are still active in both countries and are also carrying out attacks. (dab/sda/dpa)