Senior Daesh leader Abu Hudhayfah al-Ansari killed in Yemen joint operation

Yemen’s State Security Agency announced on Tuesday that Daesh leader Abu Hudhayfah al-Ansari was killed during a joint operation carried out by coalition special forces, with support from Yemeni counterterrorism units.

According to the agency, as reported by Al Arabiya, the operation aimed to arrest al-Ansari but resulted in his death. The joint special forces withdrew from the area after completing the mission, with no civilian casualties or damage reported.

Al Arabiya also reported that Abu Hudhayfah al-Ansari was considered one of Daesh’s most prominent leaders, having been appointed as the group’s spokesperson in August 2023.

He appeared in several of the group’s audio propaganda recordings, including a speech in January 2024, and resurfaced in a February 2026 audio message in which he criticized the Syrian government and urged Daesh members to continue fighting.