A U.S. military drone hit has killed a senior commander of Hurras al-Din, an al-Qaeda-aligned group in Syria, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) stated. The strike hit Abu-‘Abd al-Rahman al-Makki, a central figure within the group’s Shura Council responsible for managing terrorist activities from Syria, per the announcement.
Hurras al-Din is a Syria-based force aligned with al-Quaeda that conveys the terror group’s objective of shooting American and Western interests, CENTCOM expressed. Al-Makki was hanging a motorcycle when the precision strike shot, ending his long-standing position in the region’s jihadist networks, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
The operation underscores the ongoing U.S. commitment to stopping threats posed by terrorist organizations in the Middle East, especially those aligned with al-Qaeda. “CENTCOM remains determined to the enduring defeat of terrorists in the CENTCOM area of responsibility who endanger the United States, its allies and supporters, and regional stability,” Commander Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla stated in a statement.
In recent weeks, U.S. forces have also employed in multiple operations against Iranian-backed Houthi forces in Yemen. CENTCOM forces successfully eliminated several Houthi-controlled missile systems and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) that posed a direct danger to U.S. and coalition forces, as well as retail shipping lanes in the Red Sea.
These actions emphasise the heightened state of alert in the area, particularly in light of growing concerns over potential Iranian aggression. The Pentagon recently strengthened its military presence in the Middle East, deploying extra forces in response to intelligence indicating that Iran and its proxies might undertake significant attacks on Israel and U.S. interests. The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group and the guided-missile submarine USS Georgia are among the support sent to the region.
On the other hand, U.S. battalions in northeastern Syria were struck by a drone, although there were no damages according to initial reports. This is the second episode in recent days against U.S. forces in the Middle East as the region props for a possible new wave of attacks by Iran and its allies.
Ismail Haniyeh, the political boss of Iran-backed Hamas, was assassinated in the Iranian capital Tehran on July 31, an episode that drew threats of revenge by Iran against Israel, which is battling the Palestinian Islamist group in Gaza. Iran accused Israel of the killing. Israel has not claimed responsibility.
