U.S. Military Operations

President Trump vowed “very serious retaliation” after an ambush near Palmyra, Syria, that U.S. officials say killed two U.S. Army soldiers — later identified as Iowa National Guard Sgts. Edgar Brian Torres Tovar and William Nathaniel Howard — and a civilian interpreter, and wounded three other service members. CENTCOM and Pentagon officials attribute the attack to an ISIS-affiliated gunman who was killed by partner forces and say it occurred during a key leader engagement tied to counter‑ISIS operations, while Syrian sources say the shooter may have been an infiltrator within local security forces; investigations are ongoing.