US launches another retaliatory strike in Syria, killing leader tied to deadly Islamic State ambush

The U.S. military conducted a third retaliatory strike in northwest Syria on Friday, killing Bilal Hasan al-Jasim, an Al-Qaeda-affiliated leader. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) stated that al-Jasim was directly linked to the Islamic State member responsible for the December 13 ambush that killed two U.S. soldiers and one American civilian interpreter. The strike is part of Operation Hawkeye Strike, ordered by President Trump in response to the ambush, targeting ISIS infrastructure and weapons sites. According to CENTCOM, the U.S. and partners like Jordan and Syria have targeted over 100 sites as part of the operation. President Trump emphasized that Syria was fighting alongside American troops and that Syrian President al-Sharaa was angered by the attack.

A US strike in northwest Syria killed Bilal Hasan al-Jasim, an al-Qaeda-affiliated leader, on Friday. US Central Command stated that al-Jasim was directly connected to the December 13 ISIS ambush that killed two US soldiers, Sergeant Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar and Sergeant William Nathaniel Howard, and civilian interpreter Ayad Mansoor Sakat. The strike was the third retaliatory action ordered by the US following the attack. US Central Command asserted that al-Jasim was an experienced terrorist leader who plotted attacks. The US has vowed to pursue terrorists who attack American forces and citizens.

On January 17, 2026, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that an air strike in northwest Syria on January 16 killed Bilal Hasan al-Jasim, an al-Qaeda-affiliated leader. Al-Jasim was reportedly connected to an ISIS gunman involved in a December ambush in Palmyra, Syria, that killed two US soldiers and a military interpreter. The US stated that the strike was in response to the deadly attack on US forces. Since the December 13th attack, the US has conducted large-scale strikes against ISIS in Syria, targeting over 100 infrastructure and weapons sites. CENTCOM also reported that US and partner forces have captured over 300 ISIS operatives and killed over 20 in Syria over the past year.