The Pentagon on Thursday confirmed it killed a senior al Qaeda leader in Syria, saying the strike is a “significant disruption” to the group. Abu al-Farai al-Masri, an Egyptian national also known as Ahmad Salamah Mabruk, was killed in an Oct. 3 strike near Idlib, Syria. The strike will serve as “a blow to their ability to conduct external attacks,” Cook said. Al-Masri is a long-standing al Qaeda member who previously had ties to Osama bin Laden, the Pentagon said in a statement.
Pentagon Releases Cost of Living, BAH Rates for 2026
Dec. 30, 2025
The Pentagon will pay cost of living allowances to 127,000 service members in the continental U.S. in 2026, an increase of 66,000 members in 2025. Airmen and Guardians across the U.S. will also receive an average increase of 4.2 percent for their Basic Housing Allowance, compared to the 5.4 percent…

