US Kills Al-Qaeda Leader Connected to Attack on US Forces in Syria
U.S. forces carried out a targeted strike in Syria on Friday, killing a senior terrorist leader linked to last month’s deadly attack on American troops in Palmyra, Syria, according to U.S. Central Command.
The strike killed Bilal Hasan al-Jasim, an Al-Qaeda–affiliated operative who had direct ties to an ISIS terrorist responsible for the Dec. 13, 2025 ambush that killed two U.S. service members and an American interpreter. CENTCOM said al-Jasim was an experienced terrorist leader who actively plotted attacks and maintained direct connections to the ISIS gunman involved in the assault.
The Dec. 13 attack claimed the lives of Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard, 29, of Marshalltown, Iowa, and Sgt. Edgar Brian Torrestovar, 25, of Grimes, Iowa. The interpreter killed in the ambush was Ayad Sakat, an Iraqi national who immigrated to the United States in 2007 after previously working with the U.S. Army.
Friday’s strike is part of a broader U.S. military response to the Palmyra attack. On Dec. 19, 2025, War Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the launch of “Operation Hawkeye Strike,” a large-scale operation targeting ISIS facilities in Syria. The operation was described as a direct response to the Dec. 13 ambush.
President Trump issued a warning to terrorist groups following the attack, stating that any organization that threatens or harms Americans will face overwhelming force. U.S. Central Command later released footage from Operation Hawkeye Strike, which targeted more than 70 ISIS locations using over 100 precision-guided munitions.
In a statement released Saturday from Tampa, Florida, CENTCOM confirmed the Jan. 16 strike in northwest Syria and emphasized its significance.
“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 U.S. Central Command. “There is no safe place for those who conduct, plot, or inspire attacks on American citizens and our warfighters.”
We will never forget, and never relent. https://t.co/0xi3L3swDf
— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) January 17, 2026
CENTCOM said Operation Hawkeye Strike ultimately involved strikes on more than 100 ISIS infrastructure and weapons sites using over 200 precision munitions. Over the past year, U.S. and partner forces have also captured more than 300 ISIS operatives and killed more than 20 across Syria, significantly degrading the group’s operational capabilities.
War Secretary Pete Hegseth added in a post on X, “We will never forget, and never relent.”
This is a developing story.
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