GEOPOLITICS: OPERATION HAWKEYE BY US AGAINST ISIS IN SYRIA
Vengeance in the Desert: Operation Hawkeye Strike and the New Syrian Reality
On December 19, 2025, the quiet of the central Syrian desert was shattered by the roar of F-15E Strike Eagles and A-10 "Warthogs." In a massive display of force dubbed Operation Hawkeye Strike, the United States launched a wave of retaliatory strikes against over 70 ISIS targets.
This isn't just another headline; it’s a clear signal of how the Trump administration intends to manage the "post-Assad" Middle East.
1. The Catalyst: The Palmyra Ambush
The strikes were a direct response to a "savage" attack on December 13 near the ancient city of Palmyra. A lone gunman, suspected of having ISIS sympathies, opened fire on a convoy, killing two U.S. Army soldiers and a civilian interpreter. These were the first American combat casualties in Syria since the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime a year ago.
2. "A Declaration of Vengeance"
The rhetoric from Washington has been remarkably blunt. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth took to social media to define the operation not as a traditional military campaign, but as a "declaration of vengeance." By the numbers, the operation was devastating:
70+ Targets: Including ISIS infrastructure, weapon caches, and training sites.
100+ Precision Munitions: Delivered by a mix of fighter jets, attack helicopters, and rocket artillery.
Regional Cooperation: In a notable show of unity, the Jordanian Air Force provided direct support for the operation.
3. The New Geopolitical Alignment
Perhaps the most intriguing part of this story is the political backdrop. Unlike the years of friction with the Assad regime, President Trump noted that the current Syrian government—led by Ahmad al-Sharaa—is "fully in support" of these strikes.
We are witnessing a surreal evolution in geopolitics: the U.S. is now coordinating counter-terrorism efforts with a Syrian administration born from the very rebel groups that once fought the regime. It signals a pragmatic, albeit fragile, partnership aimed at ensuring ISIS cannot use the current power vacuum to rebuild its "Caliphate."
4. What This Means for the Future
While the administration is signaling a desire to focus resources closer to home—notably the Western Hemisphere—Operation Hawkeye Strike proves that the U.S. will not quietly "exit" the Middle East if its personnel are targeted.
The message to the remnants of ISIS is clear: the U.S. may be pivoting its global posture, but its "Hawkeye" remains fixed on any threat to American lives.
What do you think? Is this "declaration of vengeance" an effective deterrent, or does it risk drawing the U.S. deeper into a regional "whack-a-mole" conflict? Let me know in the comments.
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