The US military has killed a senior al-Qaeda leader in a strike in northwestern Syria that was linked to an ISIS attack targeting US troops in Syria in December.
A statement issued by US Central Command (CENTCOM) said US forces carried out the attack on January 16, resulting in the death of Bilal Hassan al-Jassim, a veteran terrorist leader with direct links to an ISIS operative who was responsible for the deadly attack on US personnel that killed two US soldiers and an interpreter.
Two US soldiers and an American interpreter were killed in a December 13 attack in Palmyra, Syria, while American and Syrian personnel were injured.
CENTCOM said al-Jassim was directly linked to the ISIS gunman involved in the attack and had played a role in planning terrorist operations.
“The death of a terrorist linked to the deaths of three Americans demonstrates our resolve to pursue terrorists who attack our forces,” said Admiral Brad Cooper, CENTCOM commander.
He added, “There is no safe place for anyone planning, plotting, or inciting attacks on American citizens and our soldiers. We will get you.”
Following the December attack, CENTCOM launched large-scale strikes across Syria in a campaign called Hawkeye Strike.
According to the statement released, as part of this operation, US and allied forces targeted more than 100 ISIS infrastructure and weapons sites using more than 200 precision-guided munitions.
CENTCOM further said that over the past year, U.S. and allied forces have captured more than 300 ISIS militants across Syria and killed more than 20 others, eliminating individuals who posed a direct threat to U.S. forces and regional security.
The incident comes just weeks after CENTCOM forces, along with allied forces, launched a large-scale attack on multiple ISIS targets across Syria as part of Operation Hawkeye Strike.
CENTCOM said the strikes, targeting ISIS across Syria, are part of our “continued commitment to root out Islamic terrorism against our troops, prevent future attacks, and protect U.S. and partner forces in the region.”
He added, “U.S. and coalition forces are determined to pursue terrorists who seek to harm the United States.”
Operation Hawkeye Strike was launched on December 19, 2025, at the direction of US President Donald Trump, in direct response to the December 13, 2025 ISIS attack on US and Syrian forces in Palmyra, Syria, which CENTCOM said was carried out by an ISIS terrorist.
The deceased were identified as Sergeant Edgar Brian Torres Tovar, 25, of Des Moines, Iowa, and Sergeant William Nathaniel Howard, 29, of Marshalltown, Iowa, both members of the Iowa National Guard.
They were part of about 1,800 troops who were deployed to the Middle East earlier this year as part of ‘Operation Inherent Resolve’, the US campaign to defeat ISIS.
