Shafaq News– Tampa

US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on Saturday that it killed a leader affiliated with Al-Qaeda who was linked to a December attack that left two US service members and an American interpreter dead.

In a statement, CENTCOM said the target, Bilal Hasan al-Jasim, had direct ties to an ISIS militant responsible for an ambush in Palmyra, Syria, on December 13, 2025, which also wounded US and Syrian personnel. The command described al-Jasim as “an experienced terrorist leader” involved in plotting attacks.

According to CENTCOM, the strike was part of a broader response to the December ambush, which included large-scale operations across Syria. The response, known as “Hawkeye Strike,” involved US and partner forces targeting more than 100 ISIS infrastructure and weapons sites using over 200 precision-guided munitions.

“U.S. and partner forces have captured more than 300 ISIS operatives and killed over 20 across Syria during the past year,” CENTCOM said, which were aimed at removing militants who posed a direct threat to US forces and regional security.