Who is Bilal Hasan al-Jasim? ISIS-linked terrorist killed in U.S. operation in Syria

The slain Al-Qaeda leader has been identified as Bilal Hasan al-Jasim.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said the militant had direct ties to an ISIS gunman responsible for an ambush on December 13, 2025, which killed two U.S. service members and an American interpreter.

In a statement posted on X, CENTCOM identified the slain militant as Bilal Hasan al-Jasim, describing him as “an experienced terrorist leader who plotted attacks and was directly connected with the ISIS gunman who killed and injured American and Syrian personnel last month in Palmyra, Syria.”

Admiral Brad Cooper, CENTCOM commander, said: “The death of a terrorist operative linked to the deaths of three Americans demonstrates our resolve in pursuing terrorists who attack our forces. There is no safe place for those who conduct, plot, or inspire attacks on American citizens and our warfighters. We will find you.”

The operation, dubbed Hawkeye Strike, involved U.S. and partner forces targeting more than 100 ISIS infrastructure and weapons sites with over 200 precision munitions.

CENTCOM noted that, over the past year, U.S. and partner forces have captured more than 300 ISIS operatives and killed over 20 militants across Syria, significantly disrupting networks that posed direct threats to the United States and regional security.

Last week, the US launched large-scale retaliatory strikes against the Islamic State (IS) in Syria, following last month’s ambush in Palmyra.

The strikes targeted multiple IS positions across Syria.

The operation was carried out jointly with partner forces, though US officials did not specify which partners were involved.

The Palmyra attack, which killed Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard—both members of the Iowa National Guard—and civilian interpreter Ayad Mansoor Sakat.

The Trump administration has named the campaign Operation Hawkeye Strike. It began on December 19 with an earlier wave of airstrikes that hit about 70 Islamic State targets across central Syria, including weapons depots and infrastructure.

A day before the latest strikes, Syrian authorities announced the arrest of the military leader overseeing IS operations in the Levant, signalling increased pressure on the extremist group.

For years, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have been Washington’s primary partner in the fight against IS.

However, since the ouster of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, the US has increasingly coordinated counter-terrorism operations with Syria’s central government in Damascus.

Syria has recently joined the global coalition against the Islamic State, marking a significant shift in regional cooperation against the group.