This photograph supplied by the U.S. Air Drive reveals a U.S. Airman making ready an A-10 Thunderbolt II for flight from a base within the U.S. Central Command space of accountability, on Dec. 19, 2025, in assist of Operation Hawkeye Strike.
AP/U.S. Air Drive/DVIDS by way of AP
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AP/U.S. Air Drive/DVIDS by way of AP
WASHINGTON — A 3rd spherical of retaliatory strikes by the U.S. in Syria resulted within the dying of an Al-Qaeda-affiliated chief, who officers say had a direct tie to the Islamic State member accountable for final month’s ambush that killed two U.S. troopers and one American civilian interpreter within the nation.
U.S. Central Command introduced that the strike in northwest Syria on Friday killed Bilal Hasan al-Jasim, who they declare was “an skilled terrorist chief who plotted assaults and was immediately linked” to the Dec. 13 assault that killed Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard and civilian interpreter Ayad Mansoor Sakat.
“The dying of a terrorist operative linked to the deaths of three Individuals demonstrates our resolve in pursuing terrorists who assault our forces,” Adm. Brad Cooper, CENTCOM commander, mentioned in an announcement. “There isn’t a protected place for individuals who conduct, plot, or encourage assaults on Americans and our warfighters. We are going to discover you.”
It was the newest strike as a part of a broader U.S. operation ordered by President Trump following the ambush of the Individuals to focus on “ISIS thugs” making an attempt to regroup after the ouster of autocratic chief Bashar Assad a 12 months in the past.
The Republican president has harassed that Syria was combating alongside American troops, because the U.S. army is increasing its cooperation with safety forces as a part of a coalition combating the militant group. He added on the time that Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa was “extraordinarily offended and disturbed by this assault.”
CENTCOM mentioned that the operation, titled “Hawkeye Strike,” has resulted in U.S. and companions like Jordan and Syria focusing on greater than 100 Islamic State infrastructure and weapons website targets.
