US retaliatory strikes in Syria killed at least five Islamic State members, including a drone cell leader, following an attack that left three Americans dead.
BEIRUT: At least five Islamic State group members were killed in overnight US strikes in Syria, a war monitor reported on Saturday.
The strikes were a retaliation for an attack last weekend that killed three Americans in Palmyra.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said those killed included the leader of a cell responsible for drones in eastern Syria’s Deir Ezzor province.
Washington stated a lone gunman from the IS jihadist group carried out the December 13 attack in Palmyra.
Two US soldiers and a US civilian died in that assault.
In response, the United States “struck more than 70 targets at multiple locations across central Syria”, US Central Command said.
The operation used fighter jets, attack helicopters and artillery.
A Syrian security source said the strikes targeted IS cells in Syria’s vast Badia desert.
The targets were in Homs, Deir Ezzor and Raqa provinces, the source added.
Most targets were in a mountainous area north of Palmyra towards Deir Ezzor.
CENTCOM said the operation employed more than 100 precision munitions.
The strikes targeted known ISIS infrastructure and weapons sites.
President Donald Trump said the US is “inflicting very serious retaliation, just as I promised”.
He warned those who attack Americans “WILL BE HIT HARDER THAN YOU HAVE EVER BEEN HIT BEFORE”.
