On Saturday, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that a leader affiliated with , who had direct ties to an ISIS terrorist responsible for the December 13 deaths of two U.S. service members and an American interpreter, was killed in a U.S. strike in northwest Syria on Friday.
CENTCOM officials described Bilal Hasan al-Jasim as an experienced terrorist leader who plotted attacks and was “directly connected” to the ISIS gunman that killed and in Palmyra, Syria, last month.
“The death of a terrorist operative tied to the deaths of three Americans demonstrates our resolve in pursuing ,” CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper said. “There is no safe haven for those who carry out, plan, or inspire attacks on American citizens and our warfighters—we will find you.”
CENTCOM launched in response to the December 13 attack.
Operation Hawkeye Strike saw U.S. and partner forces hit over 100 ISIS infrastructure and weapons sites with more than 200 precision munitions.
According to CENTCOM, more than 300 were captured and over 20 killed across Syria in the past year.
On January 10, U.S. Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack met with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani, and their team in Damascus to discuss recent Aleppo developments and the broader path forward for .
In a statement on X, Barrack said President had agreed to lift sanctions to “give Syria a chance” to move forward.
“The United States Government welcomes Syria’s historic transition and stands with the Syrian government under President Ahmed al-Sharaa as it works to stabilize the country, rebuild national institutions, and fulfill all Syrians’ aspirations for peace, security, and prosperity,” Barrack wrote in the post.
He added that while the Syrian government has reaffirmed its commitment to the March 2025 integration agreement with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), developments in Aleppo that “appear to challenge the terms of this agreement” are deeply concerning.
“We urge all parties to exercise maximum restraint, immediately cease hostilities, and return to dialogue in line with the March 10 and April 1, 2025 agreements between the Syrian government and the SDF,” Barrack wrote. “Violence threatens to undo progress made since the fall of the Assad regime and invites external interference that serves no one’s interests. … Our goal remains a sovereign, unified Syria—at peace with itself and its neighbors—where equality, justice, and opportunity are extended to all its people.”