Key Facts
• March 11, 2025: Security forces inspect vehicles in Latakia, Syria.
• March 13, 2025: U.S. military reports ambush in Palmyra, killing 2 soldiers and 1 interpreter.
• First U.S. casualties in Syria since Assad regime’s collapse in late 2024.
• Attack attributed to Islamic State (IS) sniper; 3 additional U.S. personnel injured.
• Sniper killed during the incident; attack occurred in an area outside Syrian government control.
• President Trump claims IS responsibility and vows “severe retaliation” via social media.
Summary
On March 13, 2025, the U.S. military confirmed the deaths of two soldiers and one interpreter in an ambush in Palmyra, Syria. This marks the first U.S. casualties in Syria since the Assad regime’s collapse in late 2024. The attack, believed to be carried out by an Islamic State sniper, also injured three U.S. personnel. The sniper was killed during the incident, which occurred in a region outside the Syrian government’s control. President Trump attributed the attack to IS and pledged “severe retaliation” on social media. The incident highlights ongoing instability in Syria following the regime’s fall.
