The US and its partner forces have launched “large-scale” airstrikes against Islamic State terrorists in Syria.
US Central Command confirmed the strikes took place at 5.30pm today.
US President Donald Trump directed the strikes as part of his retaliatory Operation Hawkeye Strike.
The first strikes took place in Syria little less than a month ago, following a deadly attack by Isis terrorists.
Isis killed two American soldiers and one US civilian interpreter in an ambush attack on December 13.
The US President vowed to “retaliate” over the strikes toward the end of last year.
In a new statement, US Central Command said: “Our message remains strong: if you harm our warfighters, we will find you and kill you anywhere in the world, no matter how hard you try to evade justice.”
The US and its partner forces fired more than 90 precision munitions at over 35 targets in an operation that involved more than 20 aircraft.
F-15Es, A-10s, AC-130Js, MQ-9s and Jordanian F-16s took part in today’s operation.
However, the location of the strikes and the extent of any casualties is not yet clear.
Before today’s strikes, American forces have captured or killed nearly 25 Isis group members in 11 missions between December 20 and December 29.
Sharing the statement, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said: “We will never forget, and never relent.”
The strikes also came just days after UK jets joined French aircraft in conducting its own attack on an underground arms cache in Syria.
“Our aircraft used Paveway IV guided bombs to target a number of access tunnels down to the facility… initial indications are that the target was engaged successfully,” the Ministry of Defence said.
Defence Secretary John Healey added: “This action shows our UK leadership, and determination to stand shoulder to shoulder with our allies, to stamp out any resurgence of Daesh and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the Middle East.”
Recent attacks by UK forces have been carried out after the Royal Air Force made a number of patrols to “prevent any attempted resurgence” of IS following its defeat at the battle of Baghuz in 2019.
However, Isis is still said to have up to 3,000 fighters in Syria and Iraq.
Authorities in neighbouring Turkey arrested dozens of suspected Isis terrorists shortly before New Year’s Eve amid reports of an orchestrated attack against Christians and Jews in a so-called “Season of Terror”.
