U.S. and Iraqi military forces carried out a precision airstrike in western Iraq, killing a senior Islamic State leader, Abu Khadijah (Abdallah Makki Muslih al-Rifai), who served as the group’s Chief of Global Operations.
The operation, which took place in Al Anbar Province, also resulted in the death of another ISIS member.
Al-Rifai was identified through DNA analysis, and both men were found wearing explosive vests and carrying multiple weapons at the time of the strike.
CENTCOM confirmed that al-Rifai played a significant role in ISIS operations, logistics, and global finance.
U.S. officials hailed the strike as a major blow to the terror group.
