Containing ISIS in Syria Remains a Persistent Challenge: WSJ

Containing ISIS in Syria remains a significant challenge, as U.S. and allied forces continue airstrikes and counterterrorism operations, yet the group persists, the Wall Street Journal reports.

The United States conducted heavy airstrikes on more than 70 ISIS targets in Syria on Friday, December 20, following an ambush last week that killed three American citizens, the Wall Street Journal reported. Jordanian forces collaborated with U.S. troops, targeting ISIS infrastructure, weapons caches, and operational hubs.

The operation is part of a broader campaign, with over 80 joint missions in the past six months by U.S. forces and Kurdish militias. These included airstrikes and commando raids that eliminated several ISIS leaders, yet the extremist group continues to carry out ambushes and attacks across Syria.

Security analysts suggest that the recent strikes were largely symbolic. Sam Heller, a Beirut-based analyst, told the Wall Street Journal that the operation appeared more retaliatory than strategically impactful on ISIS’s remaining operational capabilities. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also described the attacks as “a retaliatory action.”

Since its territorial defeat in 2019, ISIS has largely operated underground. Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces report 117 ISIS attacks in northeastern Syria by the end of August, compared with 73 attacks across all of 2024. While analysts argue the group lacks the capacity to target Western countries directly, it remains a significant threat to Syrian forces and regional stability.

ISIS has also expanded globally, establishing affiliates in Africa and Asia. Its ideology continues to inspire attacks abroad; Australian authorities reported that the recent shooters at a Hanukkah event in Bondi, Sydney, were motivated by ISIS propaganda, carrying homemade ISIS flags. Investigations are examining possible connections to the Philippines, where local insurgents have pledged allegiance to the group.

Although ISIS did not formally claim responsibility for the Sydney attack, it praised the perpetrators as inspired by its ideology. Experts warn that while the group has lost territorial control, its ability to inspire lone-actor attacks worldwide remains a serious security concern.

The persistent threat underscores the challenges of fully eradicating ISIS, even years after its military defeat. U.S. and allied forces continue to conduct precision strikes and intelligence operations, but analysts caution that ISIS’s decentralized networks make it difficult to completely dismantle the group.

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