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By Gabe Whisnant
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The U.S. Army on Monday identified two Iowa National Guard members killed by the Islamic State group in Syria over the weekend. They were Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres Tovar, 25, of Des Moines, and Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard, 29, of Marshalltown.
Why It Matters
The assault marked the first deadly attack on U.S. troops in Syria since the fall of President Bashar Assad about a year ago, following a rebel offensive that ended decades of rule by the Assad family.
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What To Know
President Donald Trump said Saturday there would be “very serious retaliation” for the attack, which also killed an American interpreter.
“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,” Trump said in a social media post.
Trump reiterated his pledge of retaliation, telling reporters at the White House on Monday that the Islamic State group would “be hit hard.” He also reaffirmed his support for Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, saying the Syrian government was not responsible for the deadly attack.
“This had nothing to do with him,” Trump said of al-Sharaa. “This is a part of Syria that they really don’t have much control over. And it was a surprise. He feels very badly about it. He’s working on it. He's a strong man.”
U.S. Central Command said the attack took place Saturday in central Syria, where a lone Islamic State gunman opened fire on U.S. forces involved in counterterrorism operations. In addition to the two service members killed, three other U.S. troops were wounded and later reported to be in stable condition, Trump said. The U.S. military said the attacker was killed during the assault.
The Pentagon later identified the civilian victim as a U.S. interpreter working alongside American forces.
Trump told reporters at the White House that al-Sharaa, was “devastated by what happened” and emphasized that Syrian forces are fighting alongside U.S. troops against Islamic State militants. In his social media post, Trump said al-Sharaa was “extremely angry and disturbed by this attack.”
Syrian state media reported the shooting occurred near the ancient city of Palmyra. According to Syrian officials, casualties were evacuated by helicopter to the U.S.-run al-Tanf garrison near the borders with Iraq and Jordan.
Nour al-Din al-Baba, a spokesman for Syria’s Interior Ministry, said a gunman linked to the Islamic State group opened fire at the gate of a military post. He said Syrian authorities were investigating whether the attacker was a formal member of the group or was inspired by its extremist ideology.
Al-Baba later said the attacker was a member of Syria’s Internal Security force assigned to desert regions, adding that he did not hold a command position or serve as a bodyguard for senior officials. He told state television that roughly 5,000 personnel serve in the Internal Security forces in the desert and are evaluated weekly.
According to al-Baba, an internal assessment conducted three days before the attack raised concerns that the gunman may have held extremist views. A decision regarding his status was expected Sunday, but the attack occurred Saturday, when government offices were closed, he said.
U.S. officials did not confirm the Syrian account that the attacker was part of Syrian security forces. When asked about the claim, a Pentagon official declined to address it directly, saying only that the attack occurred in an area not fully under the control of Syria’s interim government. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military matters.
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The United States maintains several hundred troops in eastern and southeastern Syria as part of an international coalition formed to combat the Islamic State group. While the group was defeated territorially in Syria in 2019, U.S. and U.N. officials say it continues to operate through sleeper cells capable of launching deadly attacks. The United Nations estimates IS still has between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters across Syria and Iraq.
Relations between Washington and Damascus have shifted significantly since Assad’s ouster. The United States had no diplomatic ties with Syria during Assad’s rule, but relations have warmed under al-Sharaa, who led the rebel coalition that seized Damascus in December 2024 and was named interim president the following month.
Al-Sharaa made a historic visit to Washington last month, meeting with Trump after the United States lifted sanctions imposed during the Assad era. It was the first visit by a Syrian head of state to the White House since Syria gained independence from France in 1946. Despite that rapprochement, al-Sharaa’s past ties to al-Qaida and a former $10 million U.S. bounty have drawn scrutiny.
What People Are Saying
Republican Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa, who previously served in the Iowa National Guard, said in a statement: “Our Iowa National Guard family is hurting as we mourn the loss of two of our own and pray for the recovery of the three soldiers wounded,” Ernst said in a statement.
Iowa Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds said: “Our hearts are heavy today, and our prayers and deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of our soldiers killed in action,” she said.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned of a forceful U.S. response in a post on X: “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 wrote.
What Happens Next
The Army said the incident remains under investigation. U.S. troops stationed at sites such as the al-Tanf garrison continue to train and support local forces combating IS. American forces have been targeted in the past, including a 2019 bombing in the northern town of Manbij that killed two U.S. service members and two American civilians during a patrol.
Updates: 12/15/25, 11:37 a.m. ET: This article was updated with new information and remarks.
Updates: 12/15/25, 4:38 p.m. ET: This article was updated with new information and remarks.
This article includes reporting by the Associated Press.
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