Author Archives: Bill Roggio

Bill Roggio is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Editor of FDD's Long War Journal.

US airstrike kills Al Qaeda leader in Syria

| January 17, 2026

The US military killed Al Qaeda leader Bilal Hasan al Jasim in an airstrike in Syria on January 16. US Central Command (CENTCOM) directly linked Jasim to the December 13, 2025, attack that killed two US soldiers and a civilian contractor in Syria. CENTCOM and the Al Qaeda-linked Syrian government have maintained that the December attack was carried out by the Islamic State, despite stating Jasim’s role in the operation, and the fact that Al Qaeda and the Islamic State are enemies.

US military strikes Islamic State in Syria

| January 11, 2026

US Central Command stated that the strikes were in “direct response to the deadly ISIS [Islamic State] attack on U.S. and Syrian forces in Palmyra, Syria, on Dec. 13, 2025.” However, the Islamic State has not claimed credit for that attack, which was carried out by a member of the Syrian security forces that are largely comprised of Al Qaeda’s former branch in Syria and Al Qaeda-allied groups.

Afghan Taliban, Pakistani military clash along the border

| October 12, 2025

The Afghan Taliban and the Pakistani military each heralded their operations as a success and claimed to have inflicted high casualties on the other’s forces. The Afghan Taliban’s support for the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan (TTP) is creating fissures between the two allies.

Noor Wali Mehsud

Analysis: Pakistan attempts to shift blame for TTP attacks toward India

| October 8, 2025

Pakistani officials blamed an attack in the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa that killed 11 Pakistani soldiers on the “Indian Proxy, Fitna al Khwarij.” However, the accusation is an attempt to redirect the responsibility for violence toward India and mask Pakistan’s role in the formation of and support for the Afghan Taliban and its spinoff, TTP.

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US kills Al Qaeda-linked ‘attack planner’ in Syria

| October 8, 2025

The US military killed Muhammad Abd al Wahhab al Ahmad, a “senior Al-Qaeda affiliated attack planner” who was a member of Ansar Islam. Ahmad was killed in Idlib province, the stronghold of the Syrian government, where Ansar Islam operates with the government’s approval.

Taliban denounces International Criminal Court warrant for emir, chief justice

| July 10, 2025

After the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Taliban Emir Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada and Chief Justice Abdul Hakim Haqqani for human rights abuses, the Taliban rejected the legitimacy of the court and described the action as an attack against Islam. Akhundzada and Haqqani have served in the Taliban’s harsh judicial system for four decades and are significantly responsible for the group’s extreme policies.

Al Qaeda and Allied Group safe houses in Afghanistan

Taliban denies Afghanistan is a haven for terrorists

| June 30, 2025

After US Congressman Bill Huizenga said, “Afghanistan has once again become a hotbed for terrorists looking for safe harbor,” the Taliban’s spokesman denied the presence of terrorist organizations despite evidence that Al Qaeda and other terror groups are operating in the country.

Generation Jihad | Damage Assessment: Iran’s Nuclear Program (featuring Andrea Stricker)

| June 28, 2025

The US and Israel just hit Iran’s nuclear program hard — but how much damage did they really do? Bill is joined by his FDD colleague and nuclear expert Andrea Stricker to discuss what was destroyed, what might have survived, whether Tehran’s nuclear program is dead or just delayed — as well as the intelligence, the spin, and why the Mossad and IAEA may hold the real answers.

Analysis: Iran is severely weakened but remains a regional threat 

| June 28, 2025

In testimony to the Senate Armed Service Committee, incoming CENTCOM Commander Vice Admiral Charles B. Cooper II highlighted the nuclear, conventional, and asymmetrical threats posed by the Iranian regime. While Israel and the US focused their short campaign primarily on Iran’s nuclear program and ballistic missiles, large elements of Iran’s conventional assets survived unscathed.

General Dan Caine

US strike inflicts “severe damage and destruction” on 3 Iranian nuclear facilities, CJCS Caine states

| June 22, 2025

Operation Midnight Hammer, planned and practiced in near secrecy for several weeks, was “designed to severely degrade Iran’s nuclear weapons infrastructure,” Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine stated. The US Air Force hit the Iranian nuclear facilities at Fordow and Natanz with 14 Massive Ordnance Penetrators launched from B-2 bombers. Separately, a US Navy submarine struck the Esfahan site with “dozens” of cruise missiles.

US strikes Iranian nuclear facilities

| June 21, 2025

Just two days after US President Donald Trump said he would decide about striking Iran’s nuclear program within two weeks, US B-2 bombers hit Iranian nuclear facilities in Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan. Attacking the hardened Fordow facility via air is a mission only the US Air Force could execute.

Taliban denounces Israeli strikes on Iran

| June 17, 2025

The Taliban sided with Iran and condemned Israel’s attacks on Iran’s nuclear and military targets. Iran has a long history of supporting the Taliban since 9/11, and the Taliban appears to be returning the favor.

Iran-backed Shiite militias attack US forces based in Iraq

| June 15, 2025

The Islamic Resistance of Iraq has carried out more than 180 such attacks against US forces in Iraq, Syria, and Jordan since October 7, 2023. The most recent attack risks drawing US forces into an offensive role in Israel’s war with Iran. Thus far, the US has attempted only to provide defensive support for Israel in the conflict.

Taliban eulogize Mullah Mansour despite his role in hiding the death of Mullah Omar

| June 10, 2025

The Taliban issued a glowing eulogy for Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansour, the group’s second emir, to mark the ninth anniversary of his death in a US airstrike. However, the group failed to address Mansour’s role in concealing the truth about the death of Mullah Omar, the group’s founder and first emir. This deception led to a major division within the Taliban and the rise of the Islamic State’s Khorasan Province.

JeM flag

India claims Jaish-e-Mohammad leader killed during airstrikes in Pakistan

| May 8, 2025

Abdul Rauf Azhar is said to have been killed in a strike on the Jaish-e-Mohammad compound in the Pakistani city of Bahawalpur. Azhar is listed by the US government as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist. Jaish-e-Mohammad has been implicated in numerous terror attacks in the region, including the kidnapping, murder, and beheading of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl.

Generation Jihad | Trump’s Iran Gambit

| April 18, 2025

Bill, Behnam, and Janatan dive into the high-stakes complexities of U.S.-Iran relations, unpacking President Trump’s dual-track approach of military readiness and diplomatic outreach to the Islamic Republic. They discuss Iran’s internal reactions to U.S. policy shifts, Saudi Arabia’s cautious recalibration toward Tehran, and intensifying military pressure on the Houthis.

Generation Jihad | Problems without peaceful solutions

| April 8, 2025

Bill, David, and Joe break down the latest flashpoints across Lebanon, Israel, and Gaza—examining the fragile ceasefire in Lebanon, Israel’s evolving military operations and campaigns against Hezbollah and Hamas, the Lebanese government’s stalled efforts to disarm Hezbollah, and the growing discontent in Gaza as protests against Hamas intensify.

Conflict in Syria Continues

| March 14, 2025

Ahmad Sharawi joins Bill for an update on Syria’s ongoing conflict, including: the recent Alawite insurgency against the government led by Abu Muhammad al-Jawlani, the role of jihadist groups and involvement of the Syrian National Army and Syrian Democratic Forces, Israel’s position on minority protection in Syria, and the feasibility of military action in the region.

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US military kills Al Qaeda facilitator in Syria

| February 23, 2025

A US airstrike killed Wasim Tahsin Bayraqdar, who US Central Command (CENTOM) identified as “a senior leadership facilitator” for Hurras al Din. The strike is the third against the Al Qaeda branch since President Donald Trump took office.