Message from a US Soldier on a Shell Before Launching It at Syria.. What Did He Write?

The US Department of Defense published a photo of a soldier writing a message on a shell before launching it in an airstrike that targeted dozens of ISIS positions in Syria.

The soldier wrote the names of three Americans who were killed in an attack that took place days ago in Palmyra, central Syria.

The US soldier then concluded his message by saying: "May your legacy remain in memory."

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced on Friday the launch of a military operation against ISIS in Syria in response to an attack that killed three Americans.

Hegseth said in a post on the X platform: "US forces have begun Operation Eagle Eye in Syria to eliminate fighters, infrastructure, and weapons storage sites of ISIS, in direct response to the attack targeting US forces on December 13."

He added: "Today we hunted down enemies and killed them. Many of them. And we will continue."

The three killed in the Palmyra attack were two military personnel and an interpreter, all Americans.

The attacker in the desert area of Palmyra was identified, according to security sources, as a security officer affiliated with the Ministry of Interior who was scheduled to be dismissed.

Shortly after the Pentagon's announcement, US President Donald Trump described the operation in a post on his social network Truth Social as "a very harsh retaliatory response. We are delivering very strong strikes against ISIS strongholds in Syria."

The US military announced that fighter jets, attack helicopters, and artillery struck more than 70 targets across central Syria during the operation.

US Central Command (CENTCOM) commander Brad Cooper stated in a statement: "We will relentlessly continue to pursue terrorists who seek to harm Americans and our partners throughout the region."

A Syrian security source told AFP that air raids were carried out in the Badia desert near Homs countryside and in rural areas near Deir ez-Zor and Raqqa.

ISIS controlled the city of Palmyra in 2015 and 2016 during its expansion in the Syrian desert before losing it later following government forces' attacks supported by Russia, and then to the US-led international coalition by 2019.

Damascus officially joined the international coalition against ISIS during Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharrah's visit to Washington last month.