US Conducts Lethal Strike in Syria Targeting al Qaeda Affiliate Leader Linked to ISIS Attack

The United States has carried out a lethal strike in Syria against a senior leader of an al Qaeda affiliate who US officials say was directly linked to an ISIS attack that killed three Americans last month.

According to US Central Command, the strike targeted Bilal Hasan al-Jasim, described as an experienced terrorist leader with direct ties to the gunman responsible for the December 13, 2025, attack in Palmyra, Syria. That attack killed two US service members and a civilian interpreter.

“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, commander of US Central Command, in a statement released Saturday.

CNN has reached out to CENTCOM for additional details about the strike and the nature of al-Jasim’s alleged connection to the December attack.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth responded to the announcement on social media, writing, “We will never forget, and never relent.”

The strike is part of a broader US military response following the deadly ambush, under a campaign known as Operation Hawkeye Strike. CENTCOM says the operation has targeted more than 100 ISIS infrastructure and weapons sites in Syria. Hundreds of American troops remain deployed in the country as part of the US mission to combat ISIS.

ISIS has not claimed responsibility for the December attack. Previous reporting indicated Syria’s Ministry of Interior Affairs said the gunman was affiliated with the country’s Internal Security Service, though Syrian leaders have denied any link between the attacker and the nation’s fledgling government.

US officials say operations against ISIS and affiliated groups will continue as long as threats to American forces persist in the region.

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