Senior ISIS leader Abu Hudhaifa al-Ansari killed in Yemen operation

ISIS leader Abu Hudhaifa al-Ansari was killed during a joint operation conducted by coalition special forces with support from Yemeni counter-terrorism forces, according to Yemen's State Security.

The operation was launched to capture al-Ansari but ended with his death, Yemeni State Security told Al Arabiya. The joint special forces subsequently withdrew from the area after completing the mission.

The authorities said there were no civilian casualties or injuries and no damage to civilian property as a result of the operation.

Al-Ansari was one of the most prominent leaders of ISIS. The group announced his appointment as its spokesman in August 2023.

He subsequently appeared in the organization's propaganda audio recordings, including a speech released in January 2024. He resurfaced in another audio recording in February 2026, in which he attacked the Syrian government and called on ISIS members to continue fighting.

By Tamilla Hasanova