Biden says Syria raid sent a 'strong message' to terrorists: 'We will come after you and find you'

After announcing the death of Islamic State leader Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi — who the U.S. killed during an overnight raid in Syria — President Biden issued formal remarks on the mission during a Thursday morning address.
"Last night's operation took a major terrorist leader off the battlefield, and it sent a strong message to terrorists around the world: We will come after you and find you," Biden said.
"Once again today, we continue our unceasing effort to keep the American people safe, and the strength and security of our allies and partners around the world," he continued.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Biden had previously confirmed that all Americans "returned safely from the operation." Though there were no U.S. casualties, four women and six children were reportedly killed, per The Associated Press.
During his remarks, the president also noted that U.S. troops opted to target al-Qurayshi with a special forces raid "at a much greater risk to our own people" rather than an airstrike. "We made this choice to minimize civilian casualties," Biden said.
In what the president described as "a final act of desperate cowardice," the ISIS leader died "by exploding a bomb that killed himself and members of his family ... as U.S. forces approached."
A senior administration official told NPR that "all casualties at the site were due to the acts of ISIS terrorists."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brigid Kennedy worked at The Week from 2021 to 2023 as a staff writer, junior editor and then story editor, with an interest in U.S. politics, the economy and the music industry.
-
The First Homosexuals: The Birth of a New Identity, 1869–1939
Feature Wrightwood 659, Chicago, through Aug. 2
-
Why the FDA wants to restrict kratom-related products
In the Spotlight The compound is currently sold across the United States
-
Israeli NGOs have started referring to Gaza as a 'genocide' — will it matter?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION For the first time since fighting began in 2023, two Israeli rights groups have described their country's actions in the Gaza Strip as 'genocide' while famine threatens the blockaded Palestinian territory
-
Senate confirms Trump loyalist Bove to top court
Speed Read The president's former criminal defense lawyer was narrowly approved to earn a lifetime seat
-
Ghislaine Maxwell offers testimony for immunity
Speed Read The convicted sex trafficker offered to testify to Congress about her relationship with late boyfriend Jeffrey Epstein
-
Judge halts GOP defunding of Planned Parenthood
Speed Read The Trump administration can't withhold Medicaid funds from Planned Parenthood, said the ruling
-
Trump contradicts Israel, says 'starvation' in Gaza
Speed Read The president suggests Israel could be doing more to alleviate the suffering of Palestinians
-
Trump executive order targets homeless
Speed Read It will now be easier for states and cities to remove homeless people from the streets
-
Columbia pays $200M to settle with White House
Speed Read The Trump administration accused the school of failing to protect its Jewish students amid pro-Palestinian protests
-
Florida judge and DOJ make Epstein trouble for Trump
Speed Read The Trump administration's request to release grand jury transcripts from the Epstein investigation was denied
-
Trump attacks Obama as Epstein furor mounts
Speed Read The Trump administration accused the Obama administration of 'treasonous' behavior during the 2016 election