The US military announced Wednesday that an airstrike in northwestern Syria took out a senior commander within the Islamic State, known as ISIS, as part of continued operations targeting armed groups believed to be planning attacks on Americans and US interests abroad.
US Central Command, known as CENTCOM, confirmed its forces conducted the strike on June 19, resulting in the death of Ali Husayn al-Ulaywi. Officials described the operation as part of a sustained campaign to disrupt and eliminate terrorist threats aimed at Americans both overseas and on US soil.
In a post on X, CENTCOM stated: “CENTCOM and our partners remain committed to rooting out remaining remnants of ISIS to ensure its enduring defeat. We will continue to defend the U.S. homeland, our service members, and allies and partners across the region.”
The strike comes as ISIS has announced a new phase of operations inside Syria, specifically targeting the government of President Ahmed al-Sharaa. The group has claimed credit for a string of attacks since February. Last year, President al-Sharaa’s government joined the US-led coalition working to combat ISIS.
Most recently, ISIS claimed responsibility for an attack near the city of Manbij, located in Syria’s northeastern Aleppo province, this past Saturday.
At the peak of its strength during the Syrian civil war roughly a decade ago, ISIS controlled approximately a quarter or more of Syrian territory before being pushed out by the US-led coalition.
In a separate announcement, CENTCOM said Cooper is scheduled to travel to Israel on Thursday. The visit coincides with ongoing US-brokered negotiations between Israel and Lebanon. Cooper is expected to sit down with IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir and Defense Minister Israel Katz. Discussions are anticipated to focus on strategic coordination regarding Iran, security developments along Israel’s northern border, and the ongoing situation involving Hezbollah in Lebanon.
