The United States has announced a lethal strike in Syria against Bilal Hasan al-Jasim, an al-Qaeda leader linked to the ISIS attack that killed three Americans.

The United States carried out a lethal strike in Syria, targeting Bilal Hasan al-Jasim, a leader of an al-Qaeda-affiliated group, who is said to have direct links to an ISIS attacker responsible for the deaths of three Americans in December. Admiral Brad Cooper, the commander of the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), stated that this action demonstrates the U.S. commitment to pursuing terrorists who attack American forces. Al-Jasim was considered an experienced terrorist and was involved in the attack in Palmyra, which led to the deaths of two American soldiers and a civilian translator. Following the ambush, the U.S. conducted a series of strikes as part of the 'Operation Hawkeye Strike' campaign, targeting ISIS infrastructure. CENTCOM also confirmed the ongoing deployment of hundreds of American troops in Syria to combat ISIS.