(Jewish Voice News) Two U.S. troops and one American civilian were killed on Saturday when an ISIS-linked gunman opened fire during an ambush in central Syria, U.S. Central Command confirmed. Three additional U.S. service members were wounded in the attack.

The shooting occurred in the historic city of Palmyra and comes just one year after the collapse of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s government and the subsequent removal of U.S. sanctions on the country.

President Trump has vowed retaliation, posting on his Truth Social account.

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,” he wrote in the post. “The President of Syria, Ahmed al-Sharaa, is extremely angry and disturbed by this attack. There will be very serious retaliation. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

The violence unfolded during what has otherwise been described as a pivotal period for Syria, as the nation marks a year without Assad and celebrates renewed economic engagement following the lifting of sanctions, NPR reported. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in a social media post, cited by The Sun, that partner forces tracked down and killed the attacker. He issued a stark warning, stating that anyone who targets Americans will be relentlessly pursued and eliminated.

Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said on X, according to NPR, that the gunfire erupted as U.S. forces were wrapping up a high-level meeting with local leaders. He emphasized that the troops were in the area to support ongoing counterterrorism efforts.

Central Command noted that since October, U.S. forces have worked alongside regional partners on more than 22 anti-ISIS missions in Syria, resulting in several militants killed and others taken into custody. Parnell added that the deadly ambush remains under active investigation