U.S. forces conducted a strike in northwest Syria on Friday that resulted in the death of an Al Qaeda affiliate leader who was tied to an ISIS shooter who ambushed and killed Americans last month, officials said.<\/p>\n
U.S. Central Command said Sunday<\/a> that the strike killed Bilal Hasan al-Jasim, whom the military described as \u201can experienced terrorist leader.\u201d<\/p>\n Al-Jasim plotted attacks and was directly connected to the shooter in an ISIS ambush in Palmyra, Syria<\/a>, on Dec. 13, Central Command said in a news release. In that attack, two U.S. service members and an American interpreter were killed, and other American and Syrian personnel were injured, U.S. officials have said.<\/p>\n Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on X in December<\/a> that U.S. partner forces killed the person who carried out the attack.<\/p>\n \u201cThe death of a terrorist operative linked to the deaths of three Americans demonstrates our resolve in pursuing terrorists who attack our forces,\u201d Adm. Brad Cooper, CENTCOM commander, said in a statement Saturday. \u201cThere is no safe place for those who conduct, plot, or inspire attacks on American citizens and our warfighters. We will find you.\u201d<\/p>\n President Donald Trump vowed retaliation<\/a> following the December ambush, calling it \u201can ISIS attack against the U.S.\u201d The Defense Department said the incident happened during a counterterrorism engagement.<\/p>\n Last week, the U.S. continued large-scale strikes in Syria<\/a> as part of an operation dubbed Hawkeye Strike. The operation has seen U.S. and partner forces hit more than 100 ISIS infrastructure and weapons site targets \u201cwith over 200 precision munitions,\u201d Central Command said. The strikes began in December<\/a> when U.S. forces targeted ISIS strongholds in Syria.<\/p>\n The U.S. and partner forces have captured more than 300 ISIS operatives and killed over 20 across Syria over the past year, \u201cremoving terrorists who posed a direct threat to the United States and regional security,\u201d the news release said.<\/p>\n This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.<\/p>\n