US kills Al-Qaeda-linked chief behind ISIS assault that killed two service members and American interpreter, navy says | EUROtoday

U.S. forces have killed an Al-Qaeda-affiliated chief believed to be carefully linked with the Islamic State member believed to be answerable for an ambush that left two troopers and an American civilian interpreter useless in Syria, in line with navy officers.

A retaliatory airstrike strike in northwest Syria on Friday killed Bilal Hasan al-Jasim, who was “an experienced terrorist leader who plotted attacks,” in line with U.S. Central Command.

“The death of a terrorist operative linked to the deaths of three Americans demonstrates our resolve in pursuing terrorists who attack our forces,” Admiral Brad Cooper, CENTCOM commander, mentioned in a press release. “There is no safe place for those who conduct, plot, or inspire attacks on American citizens and our warfighters. We will find you.”

Al-Jasim was “immediately linked” to an attack on December 13 that killed Sergeant Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, Sergeant William Nathaniel Howard and civilian interpreter Ayad Mansoor Sakat, CENTCOM said.

President Donald Trump previously vowed “serious retaliation” against “ISIS thugs” in the wake of December’s attack.

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“This was an ISIS attack against the U.S., and Syria, in a very dangerous part of Syria, that is not fully controlled by [ISIS,] Trump wrote on Truth Social at the time. “The President of Syria, Ahmed al-Sharaa, is extremely angry and disturbed by this attack. There will be very serious retaliation.”

Trump stressed that Syria was fighting alongside American troops, as the U.S. military is expanding its cooperation with security forces as part of a coalition against the militant group.

The attack occurred as U.S. soldiers were conducting a “key leader engagement” as part of a counter-terrorism operation near the ancient city of Palmyra, according to Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell. The motive for the attack was unclear.

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“Let it be known, if you target Americans — anywhere in the world — you will spend the rest of your brief, anxious life knowing the United States will hunt you, find you, and ruthlessly kill you,” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth mentioned.

CENTCOM subsequently launched large-scale strikes in Syria. The operation, dubbed Hawkeye Strike, resulted in U.S. and associate forces hitting greater than 100 ISIS infrastructure and weapons web site targets with greater than 200 precision munitions.

Despite pulling some troops from Syria, the U.S. continues to combat again towards ISIS, although U.S.-backed troops initially defeated the final holdouts of the caliphate in 2019.

As of December 2024, roughly 2,000 U.S. troops have been in Syria, however the Trump administration has been decreasing the variety of troops during the last 10 months. In April, the administration mentioned these forces would draw all the way down to 1,400.

Additional reporting by the Associated Press