United States military forces carried out a rare ground raid in northwestern Syria, resulting in the death of a senior Islamic State leader, Dhiya' Zawba Muslih al-Hardani, and his two adult sons. The operation, which took place in the Aleppo area, involved Special Operations commandos and was described as particularly risky due to the presence of civilians and the potential for gathering valuable intelligence. No American casualties were reported, and several women and children at the scene were unharmed. The raid comes shortly after a significant shift in United States policy toward Syria, with the lifting of most economic sanctions and a new relationship with Syria's government under President Ahmed al-Shara. Military officials emphasized the ongoing commitment to combating Islamic State threats in the region.