U.S. forces have killed an al-Qaeda leader with direct ties to an Islamic State (IS) group terrorist responsible for an ambush that killed three Americans in Syria, officials said Friday.
Bilal Hasan al-Jasim Killed in Syria Strike
Bilal Hasan al-Jasim was killed in a strike in northwest Syria, according to a statement from U.S. Central Command (Centcom). He was “directly connected” with the IS group gunman who killed and injured American and Syrian personnel.
“The death of a terrorist operative linked the death of three Americans demonstrates our resolve in pursuing terrorists who attack our forces,” said Centcom commander Adm. Brad Cooper. “There is no safe place for those who conduct, plot, or inspire attacks on American citizens and our warfighters. We will find you.”
The U.S. has been conducting large-scale strikes on IS targets in Syria, dubbed Operation Hawkeye Strike, since the deaths of the three Americans on December 13, 2025, in Palmyra, central Syria. So far, the U.S. has hit more than 100 “infrastructure and weapons site targets,” using 200 precision munitions, according to Centcom.
Centcom reported earlier this month that it had killed or captured nearly 25 IS group members in 11 missions between December 20 and December 29.
Syria has been in a fragile state since December 2024, when President Bashar al-Assad’s regime fell, effectively ending a 13-year civil war. Ahmed al-Sharaa, also known as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, has served as the country’s president since his rebel group ousted Assad and solidified control.
IS has been weakened in Syria but remains active, primarily carrying out attacks against Kurdish-led forces in the north-east in 2025.
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