President Donald Trump warned Saturday of “very serious retaliation” following an ambush in Syria that claimed the lives of two United States soldiers and a civilian interpreter.
Three others were injured in the attack, which authorities say was carried out by a lone ISIS gunman, according to statements from US Central Command and the Department of Defense.
“We will retaliate,” Trump told reporters at the White House. The president said the nation is mourning “the loss of the three great American patriots” and praying for the three wounded, who “seem to be doing pretty well.”
Trump also highlighted US cooperation with Syrian forces. “Syria, by the way, was fighting along with us,” he said, noting that Syria’s new president is “devastated by what happened.”
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds confirmed that the soldiers killed were members of the state’s National Guard.
The office said the names of the fallen would be released at 5 p.m. Sunday. Reynolds added that three other Iowa National Guard members were wounded, two of whom were evacuated immediately to a medical facility.
“Our hearts are heavy today, and our prayers and deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of our soldiers killed in action,” Reynolds said. “I ask that all Iowans stand united in supporting them and lifting them up in prayer during this incredibly difficult time.”
About 1,800 Iowa Army National Guard soldiers had been deployed to the Middle East since late May to support Operation Inherent Resolve, the US mission aimed at defeating ISIS.
“The mission was in support of on-going counter-ISIS / counter-terrorism operations in the region,” Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell wrote on X, adding that the names of those killed are being withheld until next of kin are notified.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth confirmed that the attacker was killed by partner forces.
“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,” he wrote on X.
Trump also reiterated the warning on social media: “an ISIS attack against the U.S., and Syria, in a very dangerous part of Syria, that is not fully controlled by them,” adding that Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa “is extremely angry and disturbed by this attack.” He concluded, “There will be very serious retaliation.”
ISIS has not publicly claimed responsibility for the assault.
Syrian Foreign Minister, Asaad al-Shaibani, condemned the attack. “We extend our condolences to the victims’ families and to the US government and people, and we wish the wounded a speedy recovery,” al-Shaibani wrote on X.
Al-Sharaa became the first Syrian head of state to visit the White House in November, as Damascus seeks closer ties with the US following the fall of the Assad regime last year. “He’s a very strong leader,” Trump said at the time, calling al-Sharaa “a tough guy from a tough place.”
The visit came after the US partially lifted sanctions on Syria earlier in the year, marking a shift in relations.
The deadly ambush occurs a month after Syria joined the US-led coalition formed in 2014, which has carried out operations against ISIS in Syria and Iraq with multiple nations’ participation.
US troops have long been stationed in various locations in Syria, including at the Al-Tanf garrison in Homs province, where they train Syrian partner forces in the fight against ISIS. The Saturday attack is the deadliest against US personnel since a 2019 blast in Manbij that killed two US service members and two civilians.
A Syrian Interior Ministry spokesperson said Syrian forces had provided intelligence warnings to US-led forces, and that the attacker was already known to authorities.
Nour Eddin al-Baba told state television that the leadership of the Internal Security Forces in the Badia region had alerted the coalition to preliminary information “indicating a possible breach or expected ISIS attacks.”
“However, (coalition) forces did not take the Syrian warnings into account,” al-Baba said. He added that the attack took place while coalition leaders and Syrian Internal Security Forces were touring the Badia region. The assailant opened fire at the gate of a “fortified command facility” belonging to the Internal Security Forces, exchanging fire with Syrian and coalition guards before being neutralized.
Al-Baba said an assessment conducted on Wednesday suggested the attacker may have held extremist views, with results expected on Sunday. “But fate decreed that the attack took place on Saturday, which is an administrative holiday,” he explained.
Traffic between Deir Ezzor and Damascus was halted Saturday in connection with the attack, and video footage showed US combat aircraft overhead.
“U.S. helicopters intervened to evacuate the wounded to the al-Tanf base following the shooting incident,” reported Syrian national news agency SANA. Al-Tanf is a US base in eastern Syria near the Iraq border.
