US Special Forces Eliminate Senior ISIS Leader and Sons in Precision Ground Raid in Syria
In a significant development in the ongoing fight against terrorism, the United States military has confirmed the successful elimination of a senior ISIS leader in Syria, alongside his two adult sons, both of whom were reportedly active members of the terrorist group.
The operation, conducted on Friday, was carried out by US forces under the command of US Central Command (CENTCOM) and underscores Washington’s unwavering commitment to dismantling the remaining strongholds of the Islamic State.
According to a statement released by CENTCOM, the senior leader, identified as Dhiya’ Zawba Muslih al-Hardani, was a high-ranking operative whose activities posed a direct and persistent threat not only to US and coalition forces stationed in the region but also to the newly restructured Syrian government.
His sons, Abdallah Dhiya al-Hardani and Abd al-Rahman Dhiya Zawba al-Hardani, were killed in the same raid. CENTCOM emphasized that these individuals had been actively involved in plotting attacks and orchestrating insurgent operations.
The raid, a rare ground-based operation by US troops as opposed to the more commonly used airstrikes, was executed with precision.
Importantly, three women and three children who were present at the site were unharmed, underscoring the caution exercised by US forces in preventing civilian casualties. CENTCOM did not disclose the exact location or timing of the raid, citing operational security and ongoing investigations.
General Erik Kurilla, CENTCOM Commander, stated emphatically, “We will continue to relentlessly pursue ISIS terrorists wherever they operate.
They are not safe in their homes, in their camps, or in their hideouts. Our mission is clear — to ensure ISIS can never again threaten regional or global peace.”
The operation is part of a broader and ongoing campaign by the United States and its partners to eradicate the remnants of ISIS in Syria and Iraq.
Although the self-proclaimed caliphate has largely collapsed, pockets of resistance and clandestine cells continue to pose security challenges, particularly in remote and unstable areas.
Recent months have seen increased military activity targeting ISIS. In May, CENTCOM supported six operations across Iraq and Syria, which resulted in the deaths of two ISIS militants and the capture of two others, one of whom was a high-ranking ISIS commander.
Similarly, in March, a US airstrike in Iraq successfully killed Abdallah Makki Muslih al-Rifai, ISIS’s chief of operations and a key member of its Delegated Committee, along with another operative.
In April, the Pentagon announced a drawdown of US forces in Syria, reducing the American troop presence by approximately half. Pentagon officials clarified that this decision reflected the “significant progress” made in degrading ISIS’s capabilities and infrastructure. Following the reduction, the total number of US troops in Syria will be fewer than 1,000.
This latest operation also comes at a politically complex moment. Just weeks ago, the Trump administration (despite President Joe Biden currently holding office, this may be a reporting error or an outdated source) made headlines by revoking the foreign terrorist organization (FTO) designation of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) — a group formerly led by Syria’s interim president and one which had previously been aligned with Al-Qaeda.
Furthermore, the same administration signed an executive order lifting longstanding US sanctions on Syria, marking a notable shift in Washington’s policy towards Damascus.
Though ISIS no longer controls territory as it once did, the group continues to recruit fighters, finance operations through illicit means, and plan attacks globally. As such, the US has reaffirmed its strategic focus on targeted operations against high-value individuals within the organization.
CENTCOM’s latest success represents not only a tactical victory but also a symbolic blow to ISIS’s lingering influence in the region. With the deaths of senior figures like al-Hardani and his sons, the operational capabilities of ISIS are expected to face further disruption.
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