US kills al Qaeda affiliate leader tied to December attack in Syria, Centcom says

A KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft takes off from a base in the US Central Command area of responsibility, Dec 19, 2025 in support of Operation Hawkeye Strike as the US military launched large-scale strikes against dozens of Islamic State targets in Syria in retaliation for an attack on US personnel, US officials said. US Air Force Photo/Handout via REUTERS

US military forces on Friday killed an al Qaeda affiliate leader linked to an Islamic State attack on Americans in Syria last month, US Central Command said in a statement on Saturday.

Bilal Hasan al-Jasim had "direct ties" to an ISIS gunman who killed and injured US and Syrian personnel on Dec 13 in Palmyra, Syria, Central Command said.

“The death of a terrorist operative linked to the deaths of three Americans demonstrates our resolve in pursuing terrorists who attack our forces,” said Admiral Brad Cooper, the head of US Central Command, in a statement.

Since the Dec 13 attack, US forces have been conducting strikes in Syria, with the US military saying it has hit more than 100 ISIS targets.

"We will never forget, and never relent," Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in an X post that included Centcom's statement.