On Friday, the U.S. and Israel revealed that their forces successfully targeted and eliminated leaders from ISIS and Hezbollah in separate counterterrorism missions.
U.S. CENTCOM forces executed a raid in al-Bab, located in the Aleppo Governorate of Syria, resulting in the death of senior ISIS leader Dhiya’ Zawba Muslih al-Hardani along with his two adult sons, both linked to the terror group, according to a CENTCOM statement.
It added that three women and three children who “were also on the target” were unharmed in the raid.
“These ISIS individuals posed a threat to U.S. and Coalition Forces, as well as the new Syrian Government,” CENTCOM said in a statement.
A masked Islamic State terrorist poses holding the ISIS flag in 2015. (History/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that its troops killed Ali Mohammad Hassan Qoutan, who was the personnel officer for Hezbollah’s Bint Jbeil sector. The IDF stated that Qoutan was actively involved in revitalizing the organization following a significant loss after Israel took down its leader, Hassan Nasrallah, in September 2024.
Mourners attend the funeral of slain Hezbollah leaders Hassan Nasrallah and Hashem Safieddine at the Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium on the outskirts of Beirut Feb. 23, 2025. (Anwar Amro/AFP via Getty Images)
“The terrorist’s activities constitute a blatant violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon,” the IDF wrote in a statement.
Israel recently concluded a 12-day war with Iran while simultaneously fighting Hamas in Gaza in a war that has been ongoing since the brutal attacks of Oct. 7, 2023.
