US Raid Kills ISIS Leader in Syria Amid Shift

U.S. Central Command forces carried out a unilateral ground raid in Aleppo province, northwestern Syria, killing senior ISIS leader Dhiya’ Zawba Muslih al-Hardani and his two adult sons, both affiliated with ISIS. The operation, conducted early Friday in the town of al-Bab, targeted individuals described as threats to U.S., Coalition, and Syria's new government. No civilians present were harmed during the raid. The mission reflects a broader U.S. strategy shift in Syria after the fall of Bashar al-Assad and the rise of a new government led by Ahmed al-Sharaa. Despite ISIS's territorial defeat in 2019, the group remains a security risk, recently attacking both government and Kurdish forces. The U.S. is now reducing its troop presence in Syria and reassessing its regional military posture.