CENTCOM-SDF Strikes Target ISIS in Syria: Security Shifts Post-Assad
CENTCOM’s role provided technical support and intelligence that enabled the SDF to carry out the mission, reflecting a collaborative approach to regional security.
DAMASCUS - On March 6, 2025, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), with support from U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces, executed a significant operation in Shahil, Syria, capturing Salah Mohammad Al-Abdullah, a key ISIS cell leader. This raid, part of the ongoing Defeat-ISIS campaign, underscores the continued efforts to dismantle ISIS networks and prevent the terrorist group’s resurgence in the region.
During the operation, the SDF seized an array of weapons, including a 12.7mm sniper rifle, an AK-47, hand grenades, and various ammunition, highlighting the persistent threat posed by ISIS remnants. CENTCOM’s role provided technical support and intelligence that enabled the SDF to carry out the mission, reflecting a collaborative approach to regional security as of early March 2025.
Meanwhile, broader U.S. military activities under CENTCOM’s purview demonstrate an active presence in the Middle East as of March 9, 2025. On March 4, CENTCOM conducted a Bomber Task Force Mission featuring a B-52H Stratofortress from RAF Fairford, UK, which flew across Europe into the CENTCOM area of responsibility. This mission, the third in two weeks, emphasized force projection and interoperability with partner nations through aerial refueling and joint training.
Additionally, U.S. and Norwegian forces recently engaged in close air support training to enhance coordination between ground and air units, further solidifying military alliances. These operations occur against the backdrop of the USS Harry S. Truman conducting flight operations and a U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet patrolling the skies, demonstrating CENTCOM’s multifaceted approach to maintaining stability.
In parallel, CENTCOM’s efforts extend beyond counter-terrorism to address other regional threats. The United States has taken economic action against Houthi operatives and designated Ansarallah (the Houthis) as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, signaling a broader strategy to curb destabilizing forces.
Concurrently, military logistics remain active, with U.S. Air Force and Army personnel recently delivering AH-64 Apache helicopters in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, and a Qatar Emiri Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle refueling from a U.S. KC-135 Stratotanker.
These activities, combined with a live-fire exercise by U.S. Army Soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division, illustrate CENTCOM’s comprehensive engagement in the region as of early March 2025.
The context of these operations has shifted significantly since December 8, 2024, when Syrian Islamist rebels overthrew President Bashar al-Assad, ending his family’s over 50-year rule and forcing him to flee to Moscow.
This political upheaval has rendered much of the prior Syrian government’s military and security framework irrelevant, including the Syrian Armed Forces’ structure and capabilities as they existed before the civil war’s escalation.
The SDF, predominantly Kurdish and controlling much of northeastern Syria, has emerged as a significant force in this new landscape, as evidenced by their recent success against ISIS with CENTCOM backing.
Fall Of Assad Government Alters Regional Dynamics, Full Report:
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