Two US service members and a civilian contractor have been killed in an attack by what the Pentagon described as a “lone ISIS gunman” in Syria, with three additional US personnel wounded, according to US Central Command (CENTCOM).
CENTCOM said the attacker was engaged and killed during the incident. The military did not disclose the precise location of the attack or the identities of the victims, citing Department of Defense policy.
US President Donald Trump condemned the incident and promised a “very serious retaliation,” attributing the attack to Islamic State.
In a statement posted on Truth Social, Trump said the assault took place in a volatile area of Syria not fully under government control, adding that Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa was “extremely angry and disturbed” by the attack.
Local media reports indicated the ambush occurred near the central Syrian city of Palmyra, where a joint patrol involving US troops and Syrian government forces reportedly came under fire. At least two Syrian soldiers were also said to have been injured.
Following the attack, traffic on the Damascus–Deir ez-Zor highway was temporarily suspended and security forces sealed off areas around Palmyra. Video footage circulating online appeared to show US military aircraft flying at low altitude over the region.
The Syrian Interior Ministry claimed it had warned the US-led coalition in advance of a potential Islamic State attack. Ministry spokesman Anwar al-Baba said intelligence about possible IS infiltration had not been acted upon by coalition partners.
The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which control much of northeastern Syria and work closely with the United States, issued condolences and reaffirmed their commitment to combating terrorism. The SDF pledged a “decisive and direct” response against those responsible, without referencing the government in Damascus, with whom relations remain strained.
The United States has maintained a military presence in Syria for years, supporting the SDF and conducting operations against Islamic State remnants. Although troop numbers once reached around 2,000, the Trump administration has recently signalled plans to reduce both personnel levels and the number of US bases in the country, even as joint operations with Syrian forces continue against IS holdouts.
