Trump vows retaliation after ISIS gunman kills 2 U.S. soldiers, 1 civilian in Syria

Three Americans — two soldiers and one civilian interpreter — were gunned down Saturday by an Islamic State terrorist in Syria, the Pentagon said, with three U.S. service members wounded in what officials called an ambush.

U.S. Central Command, which oversees American military operations in the Middle East, said the identities of the casualties are being withheld until the families have been notified. President Trump said Saturday that the U.S. will retaliate. 

The attack took place in Palmyra, northeast of the Syrian capital of Damascus. 

Three other soldiers were injured, but they are doing well, the president wrote in a Truth Social post.

“This was an ISIS attack against the U.S., and Syria, in a very dangerous part of Syria, that is not fully controlled by them,” Mr. Trump wrote. “The President of Syria, Ahmed al-Sharaa, is extremely angry and disturbed by this attack. There will be very serious retaliation.”

Speaking to reporters before heading from the White House to the Army-Navy game, he called those killed “three great patriots.”

The Pentagon said the attack was carried out by a single gunman, who was then “engaged and killed” by U.S. partner forces.

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said on social media that the troops were conducting a “key leader engagement” at the time as part of U.S. counterterrorism operations.

In a post on X, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned against any further attacks on American personnel.

“Let it be known, if you target Americans — anywhere in the world — you will spend the rest of your brief, anxious life knowing the United States will hunt you, find you, and ruthlessly kill you,” he said.

The U.S. has fewer than 1,000 troops stationed in Syria.

The deadly incident could complicate the Trump administration’s approach in Syria, where President Ahmad al-Sharaa, who took over a year ago after the ouster of longtime dictator Bashar Assad, has been trying to cultivate closer ties to the U.S.

Mr. al-Sharaa visited the White House last month. Some lawmakers and national security analysts have raised concerns about the Syrian leader’s past ties to the terror group al Qaeda.

• Mallory Wilson contributed to this article.