US aircraft on Sunday targeted a meeting of al Qaeda operatives in Northwest Syria, killing a senior leader whose ties to the group stretch back to operations in Afghanistan in the 1980s. The Pentagon on Monday said the strikes targeted the leaders, who are linked to Al-Nusra, the al Qaeda affiliate group in Syria. The strike killed Abu Firas al-Suri, who worked alongside Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan in the 1980s, and was linked to Yemen and then Syria. Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said during a Monday briefing the strike occurred in the Northwest region of Syria, but declined to name a specific city or region. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the strike killed up to 20 militants, including al-Suri’s son, reported the BBC. (Watch the briefing.)
Iran War Highlights the Value of Unmanned Aircraft
April 20, 2026
Audio of this article is brought to you by the Air & Space Forces Association, honoring and supporting our Airmen, Guardians, and their families. Find out more at afa.orgCombat video from MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) striking targets in Iran may have surprised those who thought the iconic unmanned aircraft were destined...