Al-Qaeda Leader Behind U.S. Ambush by ISIS in

On Saturday, we realized from the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) that an Al-Qaeda affiliate who was in half accountable for the assault last December, which resulted in the deaths of two American service members and an interpreter, has been positioned in Syria and eliminated from play. Permanently.

https://t.co/kTqYU5xMb4

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) January 17, 2026

The CENTCOM release states:

U.S.  Central Command (CENTCOM) carried out a strike in northwest Syria on Jan. 16, that resulted in the death of a chief affiliated with Al-Qaeda who had direct ties to an ISIS terrorist accountable for an ambush which killed two U.S. service members and an American interpreter on Dec. 13, 2025.

Bilal Hasan al-Jasim was an skilled terrorist chief who plotted assaults and was instantly related with the ISIS gunman who killed and injured American and Syrian personnel last month in Palmyra, Syria.

It’s not acknowledged how the strike was carried out, but a fast look at past such incidents would have a tendency to level to an airstrike, particularly since the United States has completely unbeatable air superiority in this half of the world. Bilal Hasan al-Jasim’s GPS coordinates are now “over here,” and “over there.”

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

CENTCOM launched large-scale strikes in Syria in response to the Dec. 13 assault. The operation, dubbed Hawkeye Strike, resulted in U.S. and companion forces hitting more than 100 ISIS infrastructure and weapons website targets with over 200 precision munitions.

Additionally, U.S. and companion forces have captured more than 300 ISIS operatives and killed over 20 across Syria during the past yr, eradicating terrorists who posed a direct risk to the United States and regional security.

Detonating terrorists is always a good factor to do, but it is likewise good to see that many are captured. There’s no omerta among these goblins. When caught, they ceaselessly sing like dusty, soiled little birds. Every one of them is an intelligence asset that may probably reveal the placement of the next-higher man on the chain. We’ve eliminated fairly a few of the higher-ups from the sphere, often with high explosives or a Ginsu missile. We have no means of figuring out, of course, nor ought to CENTCOM reveal any sources, but it would not be stunning at all to be taught this was the case.

Read More: U.S. Hits ISIS Targets in New Syria Strike Amid Ongoing Threats

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So far, the new Syrian authorities has been very amenable to having the United States come in and change the pronouns of these ISIS and Al-Qaeda goblins to “was” and “were,” but we should not rely on this being the case eternally. This stays a very risky half of the world, whereby today’s best buddy could also be tomorrow’s bitter enemy.

For now, though, Central Command has (virtually definitely) once again confirmed one of my favourite army aphorisms: There is no downside that can’t be solved with the appropriate software of high explosives.

Editor’s Note: Thanks to President Trump and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth’s management, the warrior ethos is coming back to America’s army.

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