Today's News: 3 Killed in ISIS Attack on U.S. and Syrian Forces in Syria
The attack occurred during a joint counterterrorism operation and raised concerns about the ongoing threat from ISIS remnants, as well as the security capabilities of Syria’s new government.
Photo: Ghaith Alsayed/AP
Overview
Date: December 13, 2025
Summary: An attack in central Syria on December 13, 2025, resulted in the deaths of two U.S. Army soldiers and one civilian U.S. interpreter, with three other U.S. personnel and several Syrian security forces wounded. The incident, attributed to a lone ISIS gunman in Palmyra, prompted President Donald Trump to vow “very serious retaliation.” The attack occurred during a joint counterterrorism operation and raised concerns about the ongoing threat from ISIS remnants, as well as the security capabilities of Syria’s new government, which has recently sought closer ties with the U.S.
Sources
The New York Times - 3 Americans Killed in ISIS Attack in Syria, Trump Says, Vowing to Retaliate
CNN - Trump pledges retaliation after two US soldiers, one civilian interpreter killed in Syria
NBC News - Trump vows retaliation after two U.S. soldiers and an interpreter killed in Syria
The Washington Post - 2 U.S. soldiers, civilian interpreter killed in attack in central Syria
The Wall Street Journal - Two U.S. Soldiers, American Civilian Interpreter Killed in Attack in Syria
Key Points
Two U.S. Army soldiers and one civilian U.S. interpreter were killed in an ambush in Palmyra, central Syria.
Three other U.S. military personnel were wounded in the attack.
The attack was carried out by a lone gunman, identified by U.S. Central Command as an ISIS operative.
The gunman was killed by “partner forces” (Syrian and/or U.S. forces).
President Donald Trump vowed “very serious retaliation” against ISIS.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a strong warning that those who target Americans will be hunted down and killed.
The incident occurred during a “key leader engagement” or meeting in support of ongoing counter-ISIS operations.
U.S. helicopters evacuated the wounded to the Al-Tanf U.S. base in southeastern Syria.
The attack highlights the continued danger from ISIS remnants in Syria, despite the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime and the U.S. drawdown of forces.
Syria’s new President Ahmed al-Sharaa expressed anger and disturbance over the attack and has been seeking closer ties and cooperation with the U.S.
The Syrian Interior Ministry spokesperson stated that prior warnings about possible ISIS attacks were issued to the U.S.-led coalition but were not taken into account.
Unique Highlights
The New York Times states the U.S. Army soldiers killed were part of an Iowa National Guard contingent assigned to the Syria mission. It quotes Syrian Interior Ministry spokesman Noureddine al-Baba directly, stating, “The international coalition forces did not take the Syrian warnings about the possibility of an ISIS breach into account.” The article also includes commentary from Dr. Charles Lister, director of the Syria Initiative at the Middle East Institute, who described the attack as occurring at a “critical juncture in the formation of US-Syria bilateral security ties.” A human rights activist in Palmyra, Mohammed Al-Fadhil, reported the situation was “tense” with civilians “living in fear.”
CNN provides additional details from the Syrian Interior Ministry spokesperson, Nour Eddin al-Baba, noting that the assailant was known to authorities and had been under evaluation for extremist ideas, with the assessment result due Sunday, an administrative holiday. It also mentions that traffic on the highway between Deir Ezzor and Damascus was halted and U.S. combat aircraft were seen overhead.
NBC News cites the U.K.-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reporting that the attacker was a member of Syrian security forces, a detail the Syrian Interior Ministry spokesman clarified by stating the individual had no leadership role and was not an escort.
The Washington Post highlights the concern that the attacker’s affiliation with Syria’s fledgling security services could amplify worries about the rebel forces now in authority. The article mentions Adm. Brad Cooper, head of U.S. Central Command, discussing “multiple collaborations with the Syrian government to counter very specific ISIS threats.”
The Wall Street Journal offers a specific account from a senior U.S. official, describing the meeting as between a local U.S. commander (a lieutenant colonel) and a Syrian Interior Ministry official, and that the lone gunman “popped up in a window and opened fire.” It also details that U.S. officials called for medical evacuation while Syrian forces pursued and killed the gunman, and that the U.S. sent two F-16 jet fighters over Palmyra in a show of force after the attack. The article cites figures from the Syrian Democratic Forces, stating ISIS militants staged 117 attacks in northeast Syria through August, far outpacing the 73 attacks in all of 2024.
Fox News provides a figure for U.S. troop presence as of June, stating roughly 1,500 U.S. troops remained in Syria, with the force expected to decline to a few hundred personnel by year’s end, and that the U.S. initially operated eight bases, with three since closed or transferred.
Contrasting Details
Identity of the Attacker: While all articles confirm the attacker was a “lone ISIS gunman,” several sources present conflicting details regarding his affiliation.
The New York Times, CNN, NBC News, and The Washington Post report, citing the Syrian Interior Ministry spokesman Noureddine al-Baba, that the alleged attacker was known to authorities, had been under evaluation for “extremist ideas,” and was affiliated with Syria’s security services.
NBC News cites the U.K.-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reporting the attacker was a member of Syrian security forces.
The Washington Post also cites Reuters, which, in turn, cited three local officials, saying the attacker was a member of Syria’s security forces. This raises questions about whether the attacker was simply an ISIS operative or an ISIS sympathizer embedded within or affiliated with the Syrian security forces.
Number of Syrian Security Forces Wounded:
The New York Times and The Washington Post state that “two members of Syrian security forces were also wounded.”
The Wall Street Journal, however, reports that “Three members of the Syrian security forces were wounded in the assault, according to the senior U.S. official.”
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