In a statement, US Central Command said the attack occurred during counterterrorism operations in central Syria. Officials said a lone ISIS operative opened fire after setting up an ambush and was subsequently neutralized by US forces.

Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said the civilian killed in the attack was an American interpreter and that the assault directly targeted US troops operating in the field.

“It Will Not Go Unanswered”

In a post on social media, U.S. President Donald Trump said the attack took place in a highly dangerous area of Syria that remains difficult to fully control, stressing that a powerful retaliation against ISIS would follow.

Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa was devastated by the attack and deeply angered by what had happened. Trump added that the Syrian government is cooperating with US forces in counterterrorism efforts.

Hegseth Delivers Blunt Threat

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth used stark language in his response, warning that anyone who targets Americans anywhere in the world will be hunted down by the United States and “brutally eliminated.”

Location of the Attack and Ongoing Investigation

According to Syrian state media, the attack occurred near the historic city of Palmyra. The wounded were airlifted by helicopter to a military facility near the borders with Iraq and Jordan. Syrian authorities said a wide-ranging investigation has been launched.

While the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights claimed the attacker may have had links to security forces, the Syrian Interior Ministry denied those allegations. Officials said investigations are continuing to determine whether the assailant was directly affiliated with ISIS.

US Military Presence in Syria

The United States continues to deploy hundreds of troops in eastern Syria as part of the international coalition fighting ISIS. While diplomatic relations between Washington and Damascus were severed during the Assad era, a cautious rapprochement has emerged since Ahmed al-Sharaa came to power.