Central Command Warns of Increase in ISIS Activity

(RepublicanView.org) – The Pentagon has warned of an uptick in ISIS activity in the Middle East. The US Central Command (CENTCOM) reports 153 ISIS attacks in Iraq and Syria between January and June this year. “ISIS is on pace to more than double the total number of attacks they claimed in 2023,” officials stated in a press release. CENTCOM furthermore noted that it is continuing its efforts to defeat the group and prevent external attacks.

The US Central Command says it has conducted 196 anti-ISIS missions in 2024, killing 44 operatives and detaining 166. It also confirmed that its operations “resulted in eight senior ISIS leaders killed and 32 captured in both Iraq and Syria.”

CENTCOM reported that the spike in activity serves as a sign that the group is trying to “reconstitute.”

The Islamic State declared itself a caliphate over a decade ago, growing to prominence in Iraq and Syria. It is known for its harsh interpretation of Islam and has been accused of many violations of human rights. Many countries around the globe, including the U.S. and allies, have committed to the destruction of the extremist group by joining The Global Coalition To Defeat ISIS.

ISIS lost most of its power in Iraq and Syria back in 2017 and 2019, but it continues to pose a global threat through smaller factions. According to Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, the Coalition and its partners are still working to target ISIS members who want to “conduct external operations outside of Iraq and Syria.” He also said there is an effort to keep detained ISIS members jailed so they cannot “reconstitute their forces.”

The pushback against ISIS is only one part of ongoing tensions in the Middle East. The Pentagon has also stepped up its responses to the Yemeni Houthi group, which is attacking international vessels in the Red Sea and launched a drone at Tel Aviv that killed one and injured several others. The Defense Department said it “successfully destroyed five Iranian-backed Houthi uncrewed aerial vehicles” within a 24-hour period.