A deadly ambush in central Syria on Saturday, December 13, 2025, has resulted in the deaths of two U.S. service members and one American civilian. The attack, which occurred during a patrol near the city of Palmyra, is the first to inflict American casualties in the country since the fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad a year ago.
Details of the Attack and Casualties
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed the details of the ambush, which took place during a joint patrol with Syrian forces.
* Fatalities: Two U.S. Army soldiers and one U.S. civilian interpreter were killed in the attack.
* Wounded: Three other U.S. service members were wounded in the incident. The attack also left two to three Syrian security members wounded.
* Attacker: CENTCOM stated the attack was a result of an ambush by a lone ISIS gunman in Syria, who was subsequently engaged and killed by partner forces. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, however, suggested the attacker may have been a member of the Syrian security force.
* Mission: The soldiers were conducting a “key leader engagement” in support of ongoing counter-ISIS and counter-terrorism operations in the region. Some reports indicate the American delegation was touring the historic Roman ruins at the time.
Evacuation and Official Response
Following the incident, the wounded were immediately evacuated to a major U.S. base in the region.
* Airlift: The injured were transported by helicopters to the Al-Tanf garrison in southeastern Syria, located near the strategic border junction with Iraq and Jordan.
* Official Condemnation: Secretary of War Pete Hegseth responded to the attack with a stark warning, stating that the U.S. would “hunt you, find you, and ruthlessly kill you” if Americans are targeted anywhere in the world.
* Identity Withheld: In accordance with Department of War policy and as a matter of respect for the families, the identities of the deceased service members will be withheld until 24 hours after their next of kin have been notified.
The U.S. maintains a presence of several hundred troops in eastern Syria as part of the coalition fighting the Islamic State group, even though the group was territorially defeated in 2019. This incident marks a renewed, serious setback for the stabilization efforts in the country.
