WASHINGTON/DAMASCUS, Dec. 19 (Xinhua) -- The Pentagon carried out strikes on multiple Islamic State-linked targets across Syria on Friday in retaliation for a recent attack that killed two U.S. soldiers and one U.S. civilian in the Middle East country, according to U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

"Earlier today, U.S. forces commenced OPERATION HAWKEYE STRIKE in Syria to eliminate ISIS fighters, infrastructure, and weapons sites in direct response to the attack on U.S. forces that occurred on December 13th in Palmyra, Syria," Hegseth said in a post on X.

"This is not the beginning of a war -- it is a declaration of vengeance," said Hegseth.

"Today, we hunted and we killed our enemies. Lots of them. And we will continue," he said.

The strikes were expected to last several hours, deep into early Saturday morning in Syria, according to a New York Times report.

The Pentagon and its partner forces have carried out about 10 operations that resulted in the deaths or detention of around 23 people, according to a report by CNN.

U.S. forces have launched heavy missiles from their bases in the countryside of Deir al-Zour toward desert areas in eastern and northern Syria, state-run Al-Thawra newspaper reported Saturday. ■