America’s hunt for leaders who hope to revive the Islamic State led to the deaths of three people in Syria on Friday.
The Islamic state’s hold on multiple cities across the Middle East was broken in President Donald Trump’s first term, but officials have worried that in the unsteady Syrian political environment created by the fall of former leader Bashar al-Assad, the Islamic State might regain power.
The U.S. launched an operation to ensure that did not happen.
“Early this morning in al Bab, Aleppo Governate, Syria, CENTCOM Forces conducted a raid resulting in the death of senior ISIS Leader, Dhiya’ Zawba Muslih al-Hardani, and his two adult ISIS-affiliated sons, Abdallah Dhiya al-Hardani and Abd al-Rahman Dhiya Zawba al-Hardani,” U.S. Central Command posted on social media platform X.
“These ISIS individuals posed a threat to US and Coalition Forces, as well as the new Syrian Government. Three women and three children were also on the target and were unharmed,” the post said.
“We will continue to relentlessly pursue ISIS terrorists wherever they are. ISIS terrorists are not safe where they sleep, where they operate, and where they hide,” Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, U.S. Central Command Commander, said in the post.
“Alongside our partners and allies, U.S. Central Command is committed to the enduring defeat of ISIS terrorists that threaten the region, our allies, and our homeland,” he said.
CENTCOM Forces Kill Senior ISIS Leader in Al Bab, Syria
Early this morning in al Bab, Aleppo Governate, Syria, CENTCOM Forces conducted a raid resulting in the death of senior ISIS Leader, Dhiya’ Zawba Muslih al-Hardani, and his two adult ISIS-affiliated sons, Abdallah Dhiya… pic.twitter.com/evxPNBaQj2
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) July 25, 2025
There were no American casualties, a Pentagon official said, according to The New York Times.
Trump has been supportive of the new Syrian regime led by Ahmed al-Shara.
Colin P. Clarke, a counterterrorism analyst at the Soufan Group, said highlighting the raid “makes sense, as the U.S. may be eager to highlight the anti-ISIS fight, in partnership with Turkey and Syria, particularly the latter, in an effort to show the lengths Damascus is going to in order to make tangible changes and accede to U.S. demands.”
On Friday, Syria’s Foreign Ministry released a statement indicating, Syrian, American, and French officials have pledged “cooperation on the shared fight against terrorism in all forms, and strengthen the capacities of the Syrian government to deal with security challenges through institutions of the state,” according to Military Times.
American officials said that Dhiya’ Zawba Muslih al-Hardani posed a threat to U.S. and allied forces. https://t.co/H4xXrNwFzT
— Military Times (@MilitaryTimes) July 25, 2025
In December, the Department of Defense said it would continue to focus on hunting down Islamic State leaders even after Syria’s new government took control of the country.
“Centcom, together with allies and partners in the region, will continue to carry out operations to degrade ISIS capabilities, even during this dynamic period in Syria,” then-Deputy Pentagon press secretary Sabrina Singh said, according to a Defense Department post.
“There should be no doubt — we will not allow ISIS to reconstitute and take advantage of the current situation in Syria,” Kurilla said at the time. “All organizations in Syria should know that we will hold them accountable if they partner with or support ISIS in any way.”
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has announced that military forces carried out a raid this morning near the city of al-Bab in the Aleppo Governorate of Northern Syria, resulting in the elimination of Senior ISIS Leader, Dhiya’ Zawba Muslih al-Hardani, and his two adult… pic.twitter.com/Pnwrag1eFY
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) July 25, 2025
Singh said the U.S. goal is “to counter ISIS and to support our local partners on the ground, the Syrian Democratic Forces, to ensure that ISIS can never reestablish a safe haven there.”
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