In a major counterterrorism breakthrough, U.S. Central Command has confirmed the killing of senior Islamic State (ISIS) leader Ziyad Zuba’a Musleh al-Hardan in a targeted military operation in al-Bab, Aleppo, Syria early this morning. The high-stakes operation also resulted in the deaths of his two sons — Abdullah Ziyad al-Hardan and Abdul Rahman Ziyad al-Hardan — both considered imminent threats to U.S. interests and the emerging Syrian government.
According to CENTCOM, the precision operation successfully neutralized the three high-profile ISIS targets without harming any civilians. Three women and three children present at the location were reported safe.
CENTCOM labeled the slain militants as a “direct threat” to both the United States and the new Syrian administration, adding that the operation was part of a continued strategy to dismantle ISIS networks across the region.
General Michael Kurilla, head of U.S. Central Command, issued a powerful statement following the strike:
“We will relentlessly pursue Islamic State wherever they hide — whether they’re sleeping, operating, or on the run. No member of ISIS is safe. We are committed, alongside our allies, to delivering a lasting and irreversible defeat to this terrorist organization that threatens regional stability, our partners, and U.S. soil.”
It’s worth noting that the U.S. had previously claimed in 2016 that Ziyad al-Hardan was killed in Iraq — a claim that was later proven false. This time, however, CENTCOM insists the operation was backed by solid intelligence and precision targeting.
Today’s strike is being hailed as a devastating blow to the Islamic State’s leadership network, reinforcing Washington’s resolve to eliminate ISIS remnants wherever they may be hiding.
