US military launches strikes in Syria targeting Islamic State fighters

A US Airman preparing an A-10 Thunderbolt II for flight (US Air Force/DVIDS via AP)

The Trump administration launched military strikes in Syria to “eliminate” so-called Islamic State group fighters and weapons sites in retaliation for an ambush attack that killed two US troops and an American civilian interpreter almost a week ago.

A US official described it as “a large-scale” strike that hit 70 targets in areas across central Syria that had IS infrastructure and weapons.