US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Thursday that he expected a “re-energized” effort against Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) militants in eastern Syria in the coming days. “You’ll see a re-energized effort against the middle Euphrates River Valley in the days ahead and against the rest of the geographic caliphate,” Mattis told a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, referring to territory held by the group. Mattis said that he was also expecting increased operations against IS militants on the Iraqi side of the border, Reuters reports. France has reinforced the fight against the militant group in Syria with special forces in the past two weeks.