US eliminates al-Qaeda leader linked to December attack that killed Americans

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that it has killed an al-Qaeda leader with direct ties to the Islamic State (ISIS) in northwest Syria, noting that he was connected to a December attack that killed US troops in Syria.

In a late Saturday statement, CENTCOM said it “conducted a strike in northwest Syria” on Friday that “resulted in the death of a leader affiliated with Al-Qaeda, who had direct ties to an ISIS terrorist responsible for an ambush that killed two U.S. service members and an American interpreter on Dec. 13, 2025” in the city of Tadmur (Palmyra), located in eastern Homs province, central Syria.

The individual, identified as Bilal Hasan al-Jasim, “was an experienced terrorist leader who plotted attacks and was directly connected with the ISIS gunman who killed and injured American and Syrian personnel” CENTCOM said.

The Command further quoted its head, Admiral Brad Cooper, as remarking that the death of the “terrorist operative… demonstrates our resolve in pursuing terrorists who attack our forces.” He added, “There is no safe place for those who conduct, plot, or inspire attacks on American citizens and our warfighters. We will find you.”

The December 13 attack occurred as US forces were conducting what the Pentagon described as a “key leader engagement” in support of ongoing counter-ISIS and counterterrorism operations. In addition to the fatalities, three American soldiers and two Syrian security personnel were wounded, according to the Pentagon and Syrian state media.

Several days later, the US launched a large-scale aerial campaign against ISIS positions across Syria.

“Tonight, U.S. and Jordanian forces struck more than 70 ISIS targets in Syria with over 100 precision munitions,” the US military then stated in a post on X.

CENTCOM further detailed that the operation involved fighter jets, attack helicopters, and artillery, with support from the Jordanian Armed Forces, which contributed fighter aircraft. “The operation employed more than 100 precision munitions targeting known ISIS infrastructure and weapons sites,” the statement added.

On Saturday, the Command noted that, so far, “U.S. and partner forces” have struck “more than 100 ISIS infrastructure and weapons site targets with over 200 precision munitions” in response to the Palmyra ambush.

They have also “captured more than 300 ISIS operatives and killed over 20 across Syria during the past year, removing terrorists who posed a direct threat to the United States and regional security,” CENTCOM added.