US Kills Al-Qaeda Leader in Syria Linked to ISIS Ambush That Killed Three Americans

• The US conducted an airstrike in northwest Syria, killing Bilal Hasan al-Jasim, an Al-Qaeda-affiliated leader.
• Al-Jasim was linked to a December 13 ISIS ambush that killed two US soldiers, Sergeant Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar and Sergeant William Nathaniel Howard, and civilian interpreter Ayad Mansoor Sakat.
• CENTCOM commander Admiral Brad Cooper stated the strike demonstrates US resolve in pursuing terrorists who attack American forces.
• Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth affirmed, "We will never forget, and never relent" regarding the attack.
• The strike is part of "Operation Hawkeye Strike," a wider US military campaign ordered by President Donald Trump to dismantle ISIS and prevent its resurgence in Syria.

Why It Matters: The US killed an Al-Qaeda-linked leader in Syria, retaliating for an ISIS ambush that killed three Americans.