A senior American official told Reuters initial assessments indicate ISIS most likely carried out the ambush in Palmyra, Syria, on December 13, 2025, that killed two U.S. military personnel and one civilian and wounded three service members, according to a statement cited in an X post between 6:16 PM and 6:46 PM UTC. The attack occurred near the Badia Branch (221) of the former Military Security and the industrial zone in Palmyra during a tour by an International Coalition delegation, involving close-range shooting by one person rather than a suicide bombing, sources from Palmyra stated in an X post during the reporting window. This aligns with prior CENTCOM and Pentagon confirmations of a lone ISIS attacker neutralized by partner forces during counter-ISIS operations. U.S. Central Command confirmed the casualties in a statement referenced between 5:48 PM and 6:16 PM UTC, withholding identities pending next-of-kin notification amid an ongoing investigation.
