Paul Moss

But US forces have been trying to defeat Islamic State in Syria for several years.

I spoke about this with our reporter Yousef Taha, who knows the region well, and I asked him about the US operation.

U.S.

forces have been conducting various operations across Syria on the quiet without too much fanfare, really, for the last few years.

And it says that they are there to make sure that the Islamic State never becomes active again or powerful, for that matter.

And as we speak, joint operations by the US and Syrian forces are combing the area in search for any remnants of Islamic states there.

Can you tell us anything about how successful they have been?

I mean, as I say, they're promising to get revenge for this and any other attacks.

But how successful have they been?

They have been partially successful.

for the Islamic State across southern Syria and south of the capital Damascus.

So this again tells you two things.

One, Islamic State group is not dead.

And two, that the U.S.

forces have been successful in various operations there.

However, these operations seem to be low-key or they are not giving massive publicity.

Yusuf Taha.

It was apparently a rare visit above ground for Raed Saad, but one long enough for Israel to locate the Hamas leader's car and hit it with an airstrike, killing him and three others.

A correspondent in Jerusalem, James Cook, explains who he was and why he was targeted.

James Cook in Jerusalem.