The U.S. military has conducted 10 airstrikes targeting over 30 ISIS positions in Syria since an ambush attack in December killed U.S. soldiers. [Photo=U.S. Central Command]U.S. President Donald Trump announced on the 16th (local time) that a joint operation by the U.S. and Nigerian forces had killed "Abu Bilal al-Minouki," the world's second-in-command and a key leader of the Islamic State (IS).

President Trump stated on his social media platform, Truth Social, "Following my orders, brave U.S. and Nigerian forces executed a precise and complex mission to eliminate one of the world's most notorious terrorists flawlessly."

He added, "Al-Minouki, the world's number two ISIS leader, likely thought he was safe hiding in Africa, but he could not evade our precise tracking. He will no longer be able to instill fear in African residents or plan terrorist attacks targeting Americans."

Furthermore, he emphasized, "This elimination will significantly cripple ISIS's global terrorist activities," and expressed gratitude to the Nigerian government for its active cooperation in the operation.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Heges also explained al-Minouki's specific role and the background of the operation via X (formerly Twitter).

Secretary Heges stated, "Al-Minouki was the chief commander of ISIS's provincial directorate and the world's second-in-command, overseeing terror planning, hostage situations, and financial management. The elimination of him and key cadres will fundamentally weaken their capacity to execute terror attacks against the U.S. homeland and innocent civilians."

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Heges departs after a state banquet hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, on May 14. [Getty Images=Fox News] He also added, "Since President Trump declared in November last year that he would 'provide support to protect Christians in Nigeria,' the Department of Defense has been tracking the top ISIS leadership responsible for the massacre of Christians for several months. This was a precise targeted operation achieved through close cooperation between U.S. Africa Command and the Nigerian President."

Meanwhile, the U.S. military is continuing to exert comprehensive military pressure to eradicate remaining terrorist networks. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) launched "Operation Hawk Eye" in retaliation for the December ambush attack by ISIS in Palmyra, Syria, which resulted in the deaths of two U.S. soldiers and an American interpreter.

Consequently, the U.S. military conducted airstrikes on over 30 ISIS facilities and weapons storage sites in Syria in February of this year, utilizing fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and drones, among other assets. In the past two months, targeted operations have resulted in the killing or capture of over 50 terrorists.

U.S. President Donald Trump [Getty Images=The White House]By Im Yo-hee, Reporter