Pete Hegseth confirms death of attacker behind Syria ambush that killed three Americans

WASHINGTON, DC: Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth confirmed Saturday that the man responsible for a deadly attack on US forces in Syria has been killed. The announcement followed an ambush that left two American soldiers and a civilian dead.

“The savage who perpetrated this attack was killed by partner forces,” Hegseth posted on X. “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."

The confirmation came after a deadly encounter in central Syria involving US troops deployed as part of ongoing counterterrorism operations against the Islamic State militant group.

US troops killed in ISIS ambush during Syria operation

According to US officials, the attack occurred Saturday in the ancient city of Palmyra during what the Pentagon described as a routine operational engagement.

Fox News chief national security correspondent Jennifer Griffin was the first to report the incident, citing a senior US official who confirmed multiple injuries from what was described as an “ambush” in Syria.

US Central Command later confirmed the attack and identified the assailant only as an “ISIS gunman.” The Pentagon’s chief spokesperson, Sean Parnell, subsequently confirmed that the attack resulted in the deaths of two US Army soldiers and one civilian US interpreter. Three other individuals were wounded in the incident.

Parnell said the troops were conducting “a key leader engagement” in support of “ongoing counter-ISIS / counter-terrorism operations in the region” when they were attacked. The wounded service members were evacuated by helicopter to the al-Tanf garrison, near Syria’s border with Iraq and Jordan, where they received medical treatment. 

US Central Command issued a statement on X providing further details.

“On Dec 13, two US 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 statement read.

 “The gunman was engaged and killed. As a matter of respect for the families and in accordance with Department of War policy, the identities of the service members will be withheld until 24 hours after their next of kin have been notified.”

The Pentagon said the names of the fallen soldiers and identifying details about their units would remain confidential until that notification process is complete. Parnell added that the attack remains under investigation.

ISIS threat persists as US troops remain deployed in Syria

The fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has opened the door to renewed engagement between the United States and Syria, as the country’s new leadership seeks closer ties with the Pentagon to strengthen security cooperation.

Under Assad, the US maintained no diplomatic relations with Syria. That changed under the Trump administration, which has actively pursued closer ties with the new Syrian leadership.

Last month, interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa was hosted in Washington, where he held talks with President Donald Trump in a rare diplomatic engagement. The interim Syrian government and its military forces have publicly committed to supporting US efforts to combat ISIS after years of hostility and isolation.

While ISIS was declared defeated on the battlefield in Syria in 2019, US and international officials have warned that the terror group remains a persistent threat through sleeper cells operating across the region. According to the United Nations, ISIS still maintains between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters across Syria and Iraq and remains capable of launching deadly attacks despite losing territorial control.

Hundreds of US troops remain deployed in eastern Syria as part of a multinational coalition tasked with suppressing ISIS activity and preventing the group’s resurgence.

Pentagon officials said the circumstances surrounding Saturday’s ambush remain under review.