Islamic State Claims New Attacks in Syria, Announces ‘New Phase’ Against Government

By Sadab Khan|America News World

24 February 2026

The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for two new attacks on Syrian military personnel, signaling what it calls a “new phase” of operations against the country’s current leadership under President Ahmed al-Sharaa.

The attacks occurred Saturday in northern and eastern Syria, targeting soldiers in the cities of Raqqa and Mayadin, according to a statement released through the group’s Dabiq news agency.

In Mayadin, located in Deir al-Zor province, an attacker used a pistol to kill what the group described as “an individual of the apostate Syrian regime.” In Raqqa, two other personnel were attacked with machine guns.

Syria’s Defense Ministry confirmed that a soldier and a civilian were killed Saturday by “unknown assailants.” A military source told Reuters the soldier was from the Army’s 42nd Division.

Escalating Threat

These latest attacks come just two days after Islamic State claimed responsibility for another assault in Deir al-Zor that killed a member of the Interior Ministry’s internal security forces and wounded another.

Since the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad in late 2024, Islamic State has carried out six attacks against Syrian government targets. The group is now promising more violence.

Saturday evening, Islamic State released a recorded statement by its spokesperson, Abu Hudhayfa al-Ansari, who declared the beginning of a “new phase of operations” in Syria.

The spokesperson described Sharaa as a “watchdog” of the global coalition against Islamic State and vowed that his fate would be no different from that of Assad.

Targeting the New Leadership

Sharaa, a former al-Qaeda leader who broke with the group in 2016, led the coalition of Islamist factions that overthrew Assad. Last November, he traveled to the United States and met with President Donald Trump, where he signed Syria’s accession to the global coalition to defeat Islamic State.

This alignment with the U.S.-led coalition has made him a target for the militant group.

In the recorded message, al-Ansari claimed Syria had “moved from Iranian occupation to Turkish-American occupation” — framing the new government as a continuation of foreign influence rather than true Syrian rule.

Foiled Plots

A report released last week by the U.N. Office of Counter-Terrorism revealed that Islamic State has been actively trying to assassinate Syria’s new leadership.

According to the report, Sharaa and two senior cabinet ministers have been targeted in five foiled assassination attempts by the militant group.

The ongoing threat highlights the fragile security situation in Syria as the new government tries to establish control after decades of Assad family rule.

Call for More Attacks

In recent hours, several social media accounts and Telegram channels supporting Islamic State have called for intensified attacks using motorcycles and firearms — tactics the group has used effectively in the past for quick, targeted killings.

The group appears to be shifting strategy, moving away from large-scale military operations to guerrilla-style attacks on individual soldiers and officials.

Regional Context

The resurgence of Islamic State attacks comes as Syria’s new leadership faces multiple challenges, including establishing authority over a fractured country, managing different rebel factions that united to overthrow Assad, and addressing the ongoing presence of foreign forces.

The U.S. military maintains a presence in northeastern Syria, working with Kurdish-led forces to prevent Islamic State from regrouping. Last week, the U.S. military reported conducting a series of airstrikes against Islamic State targets in the country.

What Comes Next

Security analysts warn that Islamic State is exploiting the transition period to rebuild its capabilities and prove it remains relevant despite losing its territorial caliphate years ago.

The group’s ability to carry out targeted attacks in multiple cities suggests it maintains active sleeper cells across Syria. The call for a “new phase” indicates the group intends to make the new government’s hold on power as difficult as possible.

For ordinary Syrians, the attacks raise fears of a return to the kind of violence that plagued the country during the height of Islamic State’s power. The group once controlled large swaths of Syria and Iraq, imposing brutal rule on millions of people before being defeated by U.S.-led coalition forces.

Syrian authorities have not announced any arrests in connection with the latest attacks.