According to CENTCOM, al-Jasim was an experienced terrorist leader who plotted attacks and was directly connected to the ISIS gunman who carried out the Palmyra ambush. The strike marked the latest phase of a series of US military actions in Syria following the December attack. US officials said this was the third round of retaliatory strikes launched by American forces against terrorist targets in the country since the ambush. The US military maintains several hundred troops in Syria as part of ongoing efforts to counter ISIS and support local partner forces. American officials have repeatedly said that US personnel in the region remain vulnerable to attacks from ISIS operatives and affiliated extremist groups.

Source: dna January 18, 2026 06:06 UTC