Two U.S. Army soldiers and a U.S. civilian interpreter died in an ISIS gunman ambush near Palmyra, Syria, on December 13, 2025, during a joint patrol with Syrian forces supporting counter-terrorism efforts. Three other U.S. service members suffered injuries and were airlifted to Al-Tanf base for treatment. The lone attacker was neutralized at the scene.
The attack struck during a key leader engagement in the historic central Syrian town, where U.S. troops maintain a presence amid ongoing operations against Islamic State remnants. Syrian state media reported injuries to at least two local security personnel alongside the Americans, with helicopters evacuating the wounded. Pentagon officials confirmed the victims' identities would remain private pending family notifications.
Hundreds of U.S. troops operate in eastern Syria as part of a coalition battling ISIS, even after Bashar al-Assad's ouster last year improved Damascus ties with the West. This marks one of the deadliest recent strikes on American forces there, echoing a 2019 Manbij bombing that killed four U.S. personnel. Investigations continue as the U.S. navigates fragile partnerships in the post-Assad landscape.