A view of the damaged Syrian General Staff after multiple Israeli airstrikes in central Damascus, Syria, July 16, 2025.
Bakr Al Qassem | Anadolu | Getty Images
The U.S. military announced on Saturday that three U.S. service members, two U.S. soldiers and a civilian interpreter, were killed by suspected Islamic State assailants who targeted a convoy of U.S. and Syrian troops.
According to U.S. Central Command, three other U.S. soldiers were injured.
Central Command said in a statement that the lone attack occurred in the central Syrian town of Palmyra “while soldiers were conducting an engagement with key leaders.” U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wrote in a social media post that “partner forces” killed the attackers.
The Islamic State group did not immediately claim responsibility, but a senior U.S. government official said initial assessments indicate the extremist group likely carried out the attack. Officials said the incident occurred in an area not under Syrian government control.
The U.S. military said the soldier’s name will not be released until 24 hours after next of kin has been notified.
Syria’s state news agency SANA, citing security sources, said two Syrian soldiers were injured, but did not provide further details. The official told SANA that U.S. military helicopters evacuated the wounded to a U.S. military base in Syria’s al-Tanf region near the Iraqi border.
Tom Barrack, the US ambassador to Turkey and special envoy to Syria, condemned the attack.
“We mourn the loss of three brave American servicemen and civilians, and wish a speedy recovery to the Syrian soldiers injured in the attack,” Barrack said in a statement. “We remain committed to defeating terrorism with our partners in Syria.”
The attack came just a month after Syria announced it had signed a political cooperation agreement with the U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State, which coincided with a visit to the White House by Syrian President Ahmed al-Shalah.
The coalition has carried out airstrikes and ground operations targeting Islamic State suspects in Syria in recent months, often involving Syrian security forces. Syria also launched a nationwide campaign last month, arresting more than 70 people suspected of being associated with the group.
The United States has troops stationed in northeastern Syria as part of a decade-long effort to support Kurdish-led forces in the region.
