U.S. Forces Kill Senior Al-Qaeda Affiliate Linked to Deadly ISIS Ambush in Syria
CENTCOM says strike underscores resolve to pursue militants responsible for killing American service members.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — U.S. forces have killed a senior militant affiliated with al-Qaeda in a targeted strike in northwest Syria, the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) announced late Saturday, describing the operation as part of ongoing efforts to hold terrorist networks accountable for attacks on American personnel.
According to CENTCOM, the Jan. 16 strike resulted in the death of Bilal Hasan al-Jasim, an experienced terrorist leader with direct ties to an ISIS gunman responsible for a deadly ambush in Palmyra on Dec. 13, 2025. That attack killed two U.S. service members and an American interpreter and wounded additional American and Syrian personnel.
CENTCOM said al-Jasim was involved in plotting attacks and maintained operational links with ISIS elements, highlighting the continued overlap and cooperation among extremist networks operating in Syria’s fragmented security environment.
“The death of a terrorist operative linked to the deaths of three Americans demonstrates our resolve in pursuing terrorists who attack our forces,” CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper said in a statement.
“There is no safe place for those who conduct, plot, or inspire attacks on American citizens and our warfighters. We will find you.”
The strike follows a broader U.S. military response to the Dec. 13 ambush. CENTCOM said it launched large-scale retaliatory operations across Syria under an effort dubbed Operation Hawkeye Strike, during which U.S. and partner forces struck more than 100 ISIS infrastructure and weapons sites using over 200 precision-guided munitions.
The operation forms part of Washington’s wider counterterrorism campaign aimed at preventing ISIS from regrouping amid Syria’s continued instability.
Despite the group’s territorial defeat in 2019, U.S. officials have repeatedly warned that ISIS cells remain active across central and eastern Syria, exploiting security gaps created by political fragmentation, ongoing clashes, and strained governance.
CENTCOM said that over the past year, U.S. and partner forces have captured more than 300 ISIS operatives and killed over 20 others across Syria, removing individuals deemed to pose a direct threat to U.S. interests and regional security.
The latest strike also comes amid heightened tensions in Syria, including clashes between Syrian government forces and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Washington’s main local partner against ISIS.
U.S. military officials have stressed that continued pressure on jihadist networks requires close coordination with local partners and a stable security environment to prevent extremist groups from exploiting renewed conflict.
In an earlier statement on the same day, the Commander of CENTCOM called on all parties in Syria to prevent escalation and resolve conflicts through dialogue, while urging Syrian government forces to halt offensive actions in areas between Aleppo and al-Tabqa.
In a statement, Adm. Cooper highlighted the importance of coordinated military efforts, saying that aggressively pursuing ISIS and applying sustained pressure requires teamwork among Syrian partners, in close cooperation with U.S. and coalition forces.
“A Syria at peace with itself and its neighbors is essential to peace and stability across the region,” he said, underlining the broader strategic significance of calm and collaboration in northern Syria.
U.S. officials say operations such as the killing of al-Jasim are intended to send a clear message that attacks on American forces will be met with sustained and targeted action.