US kills ‘leader affiliated with Al-Qaeda’ in Syria
Washington: The United States military has carried out a third strike in Syria in response to a deadly ambush that killed three Americans last month, with US Central Command confirming the death of an Al-Qaeda-affiliated leader linked to the attack.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the strike was conducted in northwest Syria on January 16 and resulted in the death of Bilal Hasan al-Jasim, whom US officials described as a senior terrorist figure with direct ties to the ISIS gunman responsible for the December 13 ambush in Palmyra, Syria, that killed two US service members and an American civilian interpreter.
“We will never forget, and never relent,” Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said.
“The death of a terrorist operative linked to the deaths of three Americans demonstrates our resolve in pursuing terrorists who attack our forces,” said Adm. Brad Cooper, the commander of US Central Command. “There is no safe place for those who conduct, plot, or inspire attacks on American citizens and our warfighters. We will find you.”
According to CENTCOM, al-Jasim was an experienced terrorist leader who plotted attacks and was directly connected to the ISIS gunman who carried out the Palmyra ambush. US officials said the gunman killed two US service members and an American interpreter during the attack, which also injured other American and Syrian personnel.
The strike marked the latest phase of a series of US military actions in Syria following the December attack. US officials said this was the third round of retaliatory strikes launched by American forces against terrorist targets in the country since the ambush.
CENTCOM said the latest operation was part of a broader campaign launched after the December 13 attack, which it described as “large-scale strikes” aimed at degrading ISIS capabilities across Syria. The operation has been dubbed Hawkeye Strike.
In a statement, CENTCOM said US and partner forces have struck more than 100 ISIS infrastructure and weapons site targets across Syria as part of the operation, using more than 200 precision munitions. The command said the strikes were intended to disrupt the group’s ability to plan and carry out attacks against US forces and its allies.
In addition to airstrikes, CENTCOM said US and partner forces have intensified ground operations over the past year. According to the command, more than 300 ISIS operatives have been captured across Syria, while over 20 militants have been killed during operations aimed at removing what it described as direct threats to US and regional security.
US officials said the December ambush that triggered the current round of military action underscored the continued threat posed by ISIS cells operating in Syria, despite years of sustained pressure against the group.
The US military maintains several hundred troops in Syria as part of ongoing efforts to counter ISIS and support local partner forces. American officials have repeatedly said that US personnel in the region remain vulnerable to attacks from ISIS operatives and affiliated extremist groups.
The United States has carried out periodic airstrikes and special operations raids in Syria in recent years, targeting ISIS leaders and operatives it says pose an imminent threat to US forces, allies, or regional stability.