The U.S. military carried out a third round of strikes in Syria on Friday, killing a militant leader that U.S. officials said was tied to last month’s ambush attack by an Islamic State gunman that left three Americans dead.
U.S. Central Command said Saturday the strike was conducted in northwest Syria on Jan. 16. CENTCOM identified the target as Bilal Hasan al-Jasim, describing him as a leader affiliated with Al-Qaeda who had “direct ties” to the ISIS operative responsible for the Dec. 13 ambush near Palmyra, Syria.
Three Americans killed in the Dec. 13 attack
CENTCOM said the Dec. 13 attack killed two U.S. service members and an American interpreter. The Department of the Army identified the soldiers as Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, 25, of Des Moines, Iowa, and Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard, 29, of Marshalltown, Iowa, and said they died in Palmyra of injuries sustained while engaged with hostile forces.
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CENTCOM commander says U.S. will keep pursuing those behind attacks
Adm. Brad Cooper, the commander of U.S. Central Command, said in the CENTCOM release that the strike showed U.S. resolve to pursue militants linked to attacks on American forces. He added that “there is no safe place” for those who conduct, plan, or inspire such attacks.
Operation Hawkeye Strike and the broader campaign
CENTCOM said the U.S. launched large-scale strikes in response to the Dec. 13 attack under an operation dubbed Hawkeye Strike. The command said the operation involved U.S. and partner forces striking more than 100 ISIS infrastructure and weapons site targets with over 200 precision munitions.
CENTCOM also said U.S. and partner forces have captured more than 300 ISIS operatives and killed over 20 across Syria during the past year.
