On December 13, 2025, three U.S. military personnel, comprising two Army soldiers and a civilian interpreter, were killed by a suspected Islamic State attacker targeting a convoy of American and Syrian forces in the central Syrian town of Palmyra, according to the U.S. military's Central Command. Three additional U.S. soldiers sustained injuries during the incident, which occurred while the soldiers were engaged in a key leader engagement.

Central Command reported that the attacker was subsequently killed by partner forces. Although the Islamic State did not immediately claim responsibility, a senior U.S. official indicated that initial assessments suggest the militant group was likely involved. The attack took place in an area not under the control of the Syrian government.

The names of the deceased soldiers will be withheld until 24 hours after next-of-kin notifications are made. Syrian state news agency SANA reported that two Syrian service personnel were also injured, with American helicopters evacuating the wounded to a U.S. base in the Al-Tanf region near the Iraqi border.

Tom Barrack, the U.S. ambassador to Turkey and special envoy to Syria, expressed condolences for the loss of the U.S. personnel and wished for a swift recovery for the injured Syrian troops. He reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to combating terrorism alongside Syrian partners.

This incident occurred shortly after Syria announced a political cooperation agreement with the U.S.-led coalition against the Islamic State, coinciding with a visit by Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa to the White House. The coalition has been conducting air strikes and ground operations in Syria targeting Islamic State suspects, often in collaboration with Syrian security forces. Recently, Syria also undertook a nationwide campaign that resulted in the arrest of over 70 individuals suspected of having links to the group. The United States maintains a military presence in northeastern Syria as part of a long-term strategy to support a Kurdish-led force in the region.