Confidence is running high after U.S. forces launched another ground raid in northern Syria, killing a senior Islamic State operative just weeks after a separate takedown in the Aleppo region. Despite potential risks, the administration hails these missions as crucial to crushing any last vestiges of Islamic terror in a country newly recognized by Washington’s foreign policy.

Not long ago, few would have predicted the president would ease sanctions on Syria—the same country once ruled by a brutal regime. But in an abrupt pivot, the White House chose to lift most economic restrictions, forging a controversial alliance with a new government that ousted the despised former dictator. Critics sure howled, suspecting an unholy trade-off or a naive trust in a foreign leader said to have links to a terrorist group. The White House counters that the new face of Syrian leadership deserves a chance to rebuild amid the rubble of civil war.

To justify that stance, the president traveled to the Middle East some time ago, meeting with powerful regional players to rally them behind the hope of a calmer Syria. That unusual meeting included flattery for the new Syrian president, an official described as “tough” but “deserving of a shot.” A jarring break from the years of tension, perhaps, but administration allies call it a show of decisive leadership. They argue that forging new ground demands risk-taking, the likes of which previous commanders in chief shied away from.

The early results of the pivot are more than just a handshake. This month, Admiral Brad Cooper took charge of Central Command, pledging a renewed commitment to chase down what remains of the Islamic State. On top of that, U.S. crack squads stormed into a hotbed near the Turkish border, an area known to harbor jihadists hoping to stage attacks throughout the region. While surgical airstrikes have long been in the tool kit, these raids go deeper, capturing vital intelligence like cellphones and hard drives, potentially fueling further missions.

In these ground raids, the White House takes a gamble. Dropping bombs from drones is less risky to American forces but more prone to mistakes that harm civilians. Helicopter assaults, though more dangerous for U.S. troops, allow precise targeting and the recovery of valuable electronics. The administration says the presence of terror cells is still a top threat, even as the public’s attention has drifted to other world crises.

For the president’s supporters, these strikes underscore what they see as the strong stance he vowed to maintain: The promise to hunt down extremists and protect the homeland. Skeptics, however, warn that forging alliances with questionable new regimes as part of the deal might lead to complications. They point out that the unfolding dynamic places a lot of faith in a government with “past ties” that some watchers remain wary about.

For now, the kill-or-capture raids serve a dual purpose: They degrade the Islamic State’s network and deepen the White House’s claim that real progress is being made under the new Syrian partnership. Whether these bold steps transform Syria into a stable ally or spark further entanglements is a question that only time—and more raids—will answer. In the meantime, the kill list grows shorter, and the president’s supporters are cheering a lethal efficiency they say the country sorely lacked in years gone by.