Kenneth Glad
The operation adds another layer to a difficult security picture after years of conflict. It comes as officials try to contain militant activity while rebuilding regional contacts.
A U.S. airstrike near Deir Hassan in northwest Syria, close to the Turkish border, killed senior Islamic State member Ali Husayn al-Ulaywi, according to the Associated Press, citing U.S. Central Command.
CENTCOM identified al-Ulaywi after Syrian activists initially described a strike on a motorcycle that killed one person in the area. His identity was not immediately clear when the attack was first reported.
The target was named afterward
CENTCOM described the operation as part of continuing U.S. efforts to target militants accused of plotting attacks against Americans overseas or inside the United States.
The command said the mission was meant to “disrupt and eliminate terrorists seeking to attack Americans abroad or the U.S. homeland.”
Admiral Brad Cooper said: “CENTCOM and our partners remain committed to rooting out remaining remnants of ISIS to ensure its enduring defeat.”
He added: “We will continue to defend the U.S. homeland, our service members, and allies and partners across the region.”
Islamic State cells remain active
Islamic State lost its territorial control in Syria in 2019, but the group has continued to operate through sleeper cells.
According to ABC News, those cells have claimed attacks against Syria’s new authorities since the Assad family’s rule collapsed in December 2024.
That makes targeted operations difficult to separate from Syria’s broader internal instability. In areas where authority remains fragmented, militant networks can survive even without holding towns or territory.
Long War Journal, a publication of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), reported that Islamic State claimed a June 21 attack near Aleppo that killed two Syrian soldiers.
The outlet also cited Syrian state media, which said Syrian security forces arrested Akram Saleh al Hamad, an alleged Islamic State member. Syria’s Interior Ministry accused him of involvement in manufacturing explosive devices.
Damascus seeks regional ties
The killing comes while Syria’s new government is pursuing foreign contacts and trying to manage security problems at home.
Long War Journal said Syrian Foreign and Expatriates Minister Asaad Hassan al Shibani met United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi for talks on diplomacy, economic cooperation and bilateral relations.
Syrian President Ahmed al Sharaa rejected the idea of sending Syrian forces into Lebanon to confront Hezbollah after U.S. President Donald Trump raised the possibility during G7 meetings in France.
Syria’s past role in Lebanon remains a sensitive issue. Syrian forces were present in parts of Lebanon from 1976 until 2005, and under Bashar al Assad, Syria served as a route for Iranian weapons bound for Hezbollah.
The U.S. operation shows that Islamic State remains a live military target in Syria, even as Damascus tries to shift attention toward diplomacy, reconstruction and control over armed networks.
Sources: Associated Press, ABC News; FDD’s Long War Journal; CENTCOM
