US strike in Syria kills man linked to attack on soldiers, officials say

U.S. forces carried out a strike in Syria that killed an al-Qaeda leader with “direct ties” to the Islamic State (IS) group terrorist responsible for an ambush that killed three Americans, officials said.

US Central Command (Centcom) said in a statement that Bilal Hasan al-Jasim was killed in the attack that took place in northwestern Syria on Friday.

The statement said he was “directly linked” to the ISIS militant who killed and wounded American and Syrian personnel.

The BBC did not independently verify the US claims.

“The death of a terrorist agent linked to the deaths of three Americans demonstrates our determination to pursue terrorists who attack our forces,” said Adm. Brad Cooper, Centcom commander.

“There is no safe place for those who organize, plan or inspire attacks on American citizens and our warriors. We will find you.”

The United States has been carrying out large-scale strikes against ISIS targets in Syria, called Operation Hawkeye Strike, since the death of three Americans in Palmyra in central Syria on December 13, 2025.

So far, the US has hit more than 100 “infrastructure and weapons range targets” using 200 precision munitions, according to Centcom.

Earlier this month, Centcom announced that it had killed or captured approximately 25 ISIS members in 11 missions between December 20 and December 29.

Syria has been in a fragile state since the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December 2024, effectively ending the civil war that has ravaged the country for 13 years.

Ahmed al-Sharaa, also known by the pseudonym Abu Muhammad al-Jolani, has served as the country’s president since his rebel group overthrew Assad and consolidated control.

ISIS has weakened in Syria but remains active, launching attacks in 2025 mainly on Kurdish-led forces in the northeast.