TAMPA, Fla. — U.S. Air Force jets carried out a series of strikes on Sunday against 75 Islamic State targets in central Syria, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced, just hours after the collapse of President Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Damascus.
The coordinated operation involved B-52 bombers, F-15 fighter jets, and A-10 aircraft targeting ISIS leaders, operatives, and training camps. CENTCOM emphasized the mission’s goal was to prevent ISIS from capitalizing on the current instability in Syria. “There should be no doubt — we will not allow ISIS to reconstitute and take advantage of the current situation in Syria,” General Michael Erik Kurilla, CENTCOM commander, said in a statement.
The strikes, which took place amid the power vacuum created by Assad’s ouster, are part of the U.S.’s ongoing mission to disrupt, degrade, and ultimately defeat the Islamic State. CENTCOM reported no civilian casualties from the operation and stated that battle damage assessments are ongoing.
The U.S. military continues to maintain approximately 900 troops in Syria, tasked with ensuring that ISIS does not reemerge as a significant force. The U.S. also leverages a network of air assets stationed in neighboring countries to strike high-value targets as needed.
Sunday’s operation marks a significant escalation in efforts to prevent ISIS from exploiting the collapse of the Assad government, which fell to a coalition of opposition forces early Sunday. ISIS is not part of the coalition that seized Damascus and drove Assad to flee to Russia, but CENTCOM has vowed to hold accountable any groups that collaborate with or support ISIS.