A retaliatory airstrike strike in northwest Syria<\/a> on Friday killed Bilal Hasan al-Jasim, who was \u201can experienced terrorist leader<\/a> who plotted attacks,\u201d according to U.S. Central Command.<\/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 Admiral Brad Cooper, CENTCOM commander, said in a statement. \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 Al-Jasim was \u201cdirectly connected” to an attack on December 13<\/a> that killed Sergeant Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, Sergeant William Nathaniel Howard and civilian interpreter Ayad Mansoor Sakat, CENTCOM said.<\/p>\n President Donald Trump<\/a> previously vowed \u201cserious retaliation\u201d<\/a> against \u201cISIS thugs\u201d in the wake of December\u2019s attack.<\/p>\n open image in gallery<\/p>\n U.S. forces have killed an Al-Qaeda-affiliated leader directly linked with the Islamic State member responsible for an ambush that left two soldiers and an American civilian interpreter dead in Syria, military officials said (AP)<\/p>\n \u201cThis was an ISIS attack against the U.S., and Syria, in a very dangerous part of Syria, that is not fully controlled by [ISIS,] Trump wrote on Truth Social at the time.<\/a> \u201cThe President of Syria, Ahmed al-Sharaa, is extremely angry and disturbed by this attack. There will be very serious retaliation.\u201d<\/p>\n Trump stressed that Syria was fighting alongside American troops, as the U.S. military is expanding its cooperation with security forces as part of a coalition against the militant group. <\/p>\n The attack occurred as U.S. soldiers were conducting a \u201ckey leader engagement\u201d as part of a counter-terrorism operation near the ancient city of Palmyra, according to Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell. The motive for the attack was unclear.<\/p>\n open image in gallery<\/p>\n Donald Trump previously vowed there would be \u2018serious retaliation\u2019 to target the \u2018ISIS thugs\u2019 responsible for December\u2019s attack (AP)<\/p>\n \u201cLet it be known, if you target Americans \u2014 anywhere in the world \u2014 you will spend the rest of your brief, anxious life knowing the United States will hunt you, find you, and ruthlessly kill you,\u201d Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said<\/a>.<\/p>\n CENTCOM subsequently launched large-scale strikes in Syria. The operation, dubbed Hawkeye Strike, resulted in U.S. and partner forces hitting more than 100 ISIS infrastructure and weapons site targets with more than 200 precision munitions.<\/p>\n Despite pulling some troops from Syria, the U.S. continues to fight back against ISIS, though U.S.-backed troops initially defeated the last holdouts of the caliphate in 2019.<\/p>\n![\"U.S.](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AP26017436417187.jpg\")
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