Trump Vows Retaliation After ISIS Ambush Kills U.S. Soldiers In Syria

President Donald J. Trump forcefully condemned a deadly ISIS ambush in Syria that claimed the lives of three Americans—two U.S. service members and a civilian interpreter—vowing swift and serious retaliation against the terror group responsible for the attack.

“We mourn the loss of three Great American Patriots in Syria, two soldiers, and one Civilian Interpreter,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Likewise, we pray for the three injured soldiers who, it has just been confirmed, are doing well.”

According to Fox News, Trump described the incident as a deliberate ISIS strike in a dangerous region of Syria that remains outside the full control of the Syrian government.

“This was an ISIS attack against the U.S., and Syria, in a very dangerous part of Syria, that is not fully controlled by them,” Trump wrote. “The President of Syria, Ahmed al Sharaa, is extremely angry and disturbed by this attack.”

“There will be very serious retaliation,” the President added.

While en route to the annual Army–Navy football game on Saturday, Trump spoke to reporters and characterized the assault as a calculated ambush on American forces.

“So, we mourn the loss of three great patriots,” Trump said. “You know how it happened. It was an ambush. Terrible.”

Trump confirmed that three additional U.S. troops were wounded in the attack but emphasized that they are recovering.

“We also have three wounded. They seem to be doing pretty well,” he said. “But we mourn the loss.”

The President also noted that Syrian government forces have been cooperating with the United States in counter-ISIS operations and were shaken by the violence.

“This was an ISIS attack on us and Syria,” Trump said. “And again, we mourn the loss and we pray for them and their parents and their loved ones.”

When asked directly whether the United States would respond militarily, Trump left no ambiguity.

“Yeah, we will and will,” Trump said. “We will retaliate.”

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced later Saturday that the gunman responsible for the ambush had already been eliminated by allied forces.

“The savage who perpetrated this attack was killed by partner forces,” Hegseth said. “If you target Americans anywhere in the world, you will spend the rest of your brief, anxious life knowing the United States will hunt you, find you, and ruthlessly kill you.”

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the Americans were ambushed in the central Syrian city of Palmyra while conducting a key leader engagement in support of ongoing counter-ISIS and counterterrorism missions.

U.S. Central Command confirmed that the casualties resulted from “an ambush by a lone ISIS gunman in Syria.”

“The soldiers’ names, as well as identifying information about their units, are being withheld until 24 hours after next of kin notification,” Parnell said, adding that the incident remains under investigation and occurred in territory not fully controlled by Syrian President Ahmed al Sharaa.

Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll also honored the fallen in a statement posted to X.

“I’m praying for the brave U.S. soldiers and civilian who lost their lives, those who were injured in this attack, and the families who bear this profound loss,” Driscoll wrote. “We mourn the passing of these heroes and honor their service and sacrifice.”

A senior U.S. official earlier confirmed multiple injuries following the attack. According to The Associated Press, the wounded were evacuated by helicopter to the al Tanf garrison near the borders of Iraq and Jordan.

Approximately 900 U.S. troops remain stationed in Syria. American forces established several bases in the country beginning in 2014 to prevent ISIS from reestablishing a caliphate, though a number of those installations have since been closed or transferred to Syrian Democratic Forces.

The ambush occurred as Syria marks the one-year anniversary of the collapse of the Assad regime. Earlier this week, tens of thousands gathered in Damascus to commemorate the fall of Bashar al Assad, who fled the capital last year after rebel forces ended more than five decades of Assad family rule.