{"id":1939667,"date":"2026-05-16T21:40:47","date_gmt":"2026-05-16T18:40:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1939667"},"modified":"2026-05-16T21:40:47","modified_gmt":"2026-05-16T18:40:47","slug":"donald-trump-announces-u-s-killed-high-ranking-isis-official-hegseth-shares-video","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1939667","title":{"rendered":"Donald Trump Announces U.S. Killed High-Ranking ISIS Official, Hegseth Shares Video"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/imagez.tmz.com\/image\/9d\/16by9\/2026\/05\/16\/9db972addad849f59308a203d7778b81_xl.png&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article class=\"article article--permalink \">\n<header class=\"article__header\">\n<h1 class=\"article__header--headline-title\">Donald Trump Announces U.S. Killed High-Ranking ISIS Official, Hegseth Shares Video<\/h1>\n<h2 class=\"article__header--headline-fragments\"><span class=\"article__header--hf1 text-uppercase h3\">President Donald Trump<\/span><span class=\"article__header--hf2 text-uppercase h2\">We Got ISIS&#8217;s Second-in-Command &#8230;<\/span><span class=\"article__header--hf3 text-titlecase h3\">Strike Vid Shared By Department of War<\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"social-media-container\" role=\"region\">\n<ul class=\"social social--sm\">\n<li class=\"social-item\">\n<li class=\"social-item\">\n<li class=\"social-item\"><\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=tmz.com\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"js-track-link\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"google-preferred-btn\" src=\"https:\/\/static.tmz.com\/tmz-web\/img\/article\/google-preferred-source.png\"><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"byline\">By <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/pages\/about\/\">TMZ Staff<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"date-wrapper\">\n                                                                        Published <time class=\"published-datetime\" datetime=\"2026-05-16T14:40:47-07:00\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/sitemaps\/article\/202605\"><br \/>\n                May 16, 2026<br \/>\n                <\/a><br \/>\n                            2:40 PM PDT<\/time><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"article__blocks clearfix\">\n<section id=\"cb-3fd47258b1021820c058fc470e4d183e\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-video-block canvas-video-block-permalink canvas-video-block--default  canvas-block-is-first \">\n<div class=\"video-block\">\n<div class=\"ratio ratio-16x9\">\n<div id=\"video-player-c2448878-7def-4ca0-bb9b-d59e53e16762-1341211777-image-holder\" class=\"ratio ratio-item video-block__image-holder\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"https:\/\/imagez.tmz.com\/image\/e4\/16by9\/2026\/05\/16\/e448bb862ae74842b446599489524407_md.png\" alt=\"051626_isis_attack_kal\" width=\"728\" height=\"410\" class=\"img-fluid\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<footer id=\"video-player-c2448878-7def-4ca0-bb9b-d59e53e16762-1341211777-footer\" class=\"media-footer video-block__media-footer\"><span class=\"media-launch-text video-block__media-launch-text\">FIRE IN THE SKY<\/span><\/footer>\n<div class=\"video-block__media-info\">\n<div class=\"video-block__media-permalink\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/watch\/us-isis-attack-nigeria-05-16-2026\/\">Video: U.S. Launches Attack on ISIS in Nigeria<\/a><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"media-credit video-block__media-credit\">X\/@USAfricaCommand<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"cb-9c15607362ad6fd4d02109ac43f89f24\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-text-block canvas-text-block-permalink canvas-text-block--default  \" data-context='{\"section\":\"permalink\",\"name\":\"text_block\"}'>\n<p>President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/people\/donald-trump\/\" rel=\"noreferrer\"><strong>Donald Trump<\/strong><\/a> says the United States has struck a major blow against ISIS &#8230; taking out the terrorist org.&#8217;s second-in-command &#8212; and it appears it was caught on video.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"cb-bff005371bc4f1100d7a5d38548ae457\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-text-block canvas-text-block-permalink canvas-text-block--default  \" data-context='{\"section\":\"permalink\",\"name\":\"text_block\"}'>\n<p>POTUS took to Truth Social to announce the sucessful mission &#8230; revealing U.S. forces have killed <strong>Abu-Bilal al-Minuki<\/strong> &#8212; who he says was the second-highest ranking member of ISIS in the world.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"cb-5cd163ae88339bd3c6944b6b88038fbb\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-image-block canvas-image-block-permalink canvas-image-block--default  \">\n<div class=\"image-block\"><a class=\"js-click-image js-track-link image-lightbox-preview\" data-node-ref=\"tmz:image-asset:image_png_20260516_14bbb5f1ebb446f583b7a1eb67494ccc\" data-container-ref=\"tmz:article:ad092ab9-e37f-458c-b104-f12c77a0d167\" data-context='{\"section\":\"permalink\",\"name\":\"image\"}'><\/p>\n<div class=\"img-wrapper\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/imagez.tmz.com\/image\/14\/4by3\/2026\/05\/16\/14bbb5f1ebb446f583b7a1eb67494ccc_md.png\" alt=\"sub donald trump white house nigeria x\" width=\"728\" height=\"546\" class=\"img-fluid image-block__img-fluid img-aspect-auto\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"image-block__card-footer\"><span class=\"media-credit image-block__media-credit\">X \/ @WhiteHouse<\/span><\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"cb-64be9c9a750834e9d85ff76328c43757\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-text-block canvas-text-block-permalink canvas-text-block--default  \" data-context='{\"section\":\"permalink\",\"name\":\"text_block\"}'>\n<p>Trump says sources tipped off the States to his location &#8230; which allowed them to blow him off the face of the earth. He will &#8220;no longer terrorize the people of Africa&#8221; and, without him, the prez promises &#8220;ISIS&#8217;s global operation is greatly diminished.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"cb-5fe3ece1ffafc081b57dea48c60a9105\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-text-block canvas-text-block-permalink canvas-text-block--default  \" data-context='{\"section\":\"permalink\",\"name\":\"text_block\"}'>\n<p>DJT offered his thanks to Nigeria for working with the USA on the mission &#8230; before ending with a rousing &#8220;GOD BLESS AMERICA.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"cb-4000db8c3601d6b1779268fde4d6d592\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-image-block canvas-image-block-permalink canvas-image-block--default  \">\n<div class=\"image-block\"><a class=\"js-click-image js-track-link image-lightbox-preview\" data-node-ref=\"tmz:image-asset:image_png_20260516_d9a1de3b1a0e477395495374fe78f518\" data-container-ref=\"tmz:article:ad092ab9-e37f-458c-b104-f12c77a0d167\" data-context='{\"section\":\"permalink\",\"name\":\"image\"}'><\/p>\n<div class=\"img-wrapper\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/imagez.tmz.com\/image\/d9\/4by3\/2026\/05\/16\/d9a1de3b1a0e477395495374fe78f518_md.png\" alt=\"sub pete hegseth x\" width=\"728\" height=\"546\" class=\"img-fluid image-block__img-fluid img-aspect-auto\"><\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"cb-5feaa8397169914f20dd8400db77ce98\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-text-block canvas-text-block-permalink canvas-text-block--default  \" data-context='{\"section\":\"permalink\",\"name\":\"text_block\"}'>\n<p>Secretary of War <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/people\/pete-hegseth\/\" rel=\"noreferrer\"><strong>Pete Hegseth<\/strong><\/a> confirmed the operation &#8230; noting President Trump promises to protect persecuted Christians in Africa &#8212; and, this bombing is proof of it.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"cb-24b7962ab2b55a5f88ed78d41227ad08\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-text-block canvas-text-block-permalink canvas-text-block--default  \" data-context='{\"section\":\"permalink\",\"name\":\"text_block\"}'>\n<p>He also shared a clip of the strike &#8230; which shows the impressive firepower the U.S. rained down on a compound &#8212; resulting in a mushroom cloud that blots out the area.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"cb-d9e64375817d00e28f52e23eb1fd26cc\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-video-block canvas-video-block-permalink canvas-video-block--default  \">\n<div class=\"video-block\">\n<div class=\"ratio ratio-16x9\">\n<div id=\"video-player-46201f2c-483f-4f9f-b6c7-a5f27030dfcf-1911760249-image-holder\" class=\"ratio ratio-item video-block__image-holder\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/imagez.tmz.com\/image\/7f\/16by9\/2026\/04\/16\/7fe71b3f12f148588d7ee02bb55cb90a_md.png\" alt=\"041626 boat blown up kal\" width=\"728\" height=\"410\" class=\"img-fluid\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<footer id=\"video-player-46201f2c-483f-4f9f-b6c7-a5f27030dfcf-1911760249-footer\" class=\"media-footer video-block__media-footer\"><span class=\"media-launch-text video-block__media-launch-text\">BLOWN TO BITS<\/span><\/footer>\n<div class=\"video-block__media-info\">\n<div class=\"video-block__media-permalink\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/watch\/2026-04-16-041626-boat-blown-up-2265904-587\/\">Video: Video Captures U.S. Strike on Suspected Drug Smugglers at Sea<\/a><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"media-credit video-block__media-credit\">X\/@Southcom<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"cb-a9da34a6ea5ca563e0f2a4f1f1c7f9b8\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-text-block canvas-text-block-permalink canvas-text-block--default  \" data-context='{\"section\":\"permalink\",\"name\":\"text_block\"}'>\n<p>The DoW has regularly shared <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/2025\/10\/14\/trump-attacks-more-alleged-venezuelan-drug-traffickers\/\" rel=\"noreferrer\"><strong>videos of bombings<\/strong><\/a> &#8230; including last year when the department made a habit of posting <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/2025\/09\/02\/white-house-releases-video-strike-drug-smugglers\/\" rel=\"noreferrer\"><strong>strikes<\/strong><\/a> on alleged drug boats from Venezuela.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"cb-b117e1034fb8a35871c169e4213e079a\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-text-block canvas-text-block-permalink canvas-text-block--default  \" data-context='{\"section\":\"permalink\",\"name\":\"text_block\"}'>\n<p>Abu-Bilal al-Minuki was described by the U.S. State Department in 2023 as the leader of ISIS&#8217;s operations in Africa. He was placed on the Treasury Department&#8217;s global terrorism list as well &#8230; imposing sanctions on him.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"cb-a71e3c476aeba0d670dae3b934cbba7d\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-text-block canvas-text-block-permalink canvas-text-block--default  canvas-block-is-last \" data-context='{\"section\":\"permalink\",\"name\":\"text_block\"}'>\n<p>As Hegseth put it &#8230; al-Minuki&#8217;s death &#8220;makes Americans safer.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"col-12\">\n<ul class=\"social social--permalink\">\n<li class=\"social__item social__item--3items\"><a class=\"btn social__btn social__btn--facebook js-track-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/2026\/05\/16\/us-attacks-isis-in-nigeria\/\" data-node-ref=\"tmz:article:ad092ab9-e37f-458c-b104-f12c77a0d167\" data-context='{\"section\":\"main\",\"name\":\"facebook-footer\",\"pos\":1}'><br \/>\n                Share<span class=\"social__hide-sm\"> on Facebook<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"social__item social__item--3items\"><a class=\"btn social__btn social__btn--x js-track-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/2026\/05\/16\/us-attacks-isis-in-nigeria\/\" data-node-ref=\"tmz:article:ad092ab9-e37f-458c-b104-f12c77a0d167\" data-context='{\"section\":\"main\",\"name\":\"twitter-footer\",\"pos\":2}'><br \/>\n                Share<span class=\"social__hide-sm\"> on X<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"social__item social__item--3items\"><\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<section class=\"related-articles\">\n<header class=\"card-section-header related-articles__card-section-header\">\n<h3 class=\"card-section-title related-articles__card-section-title\">\n              Related articles<br \/>\n            <\/h3>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"row related-articles__row\">\n<div class=\"col related-articles__col\">\n<article class=\"related-articles__card\"><a class=\"related-articles__card-link js-track-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/2026\/04\/28\/taylor-swift-concert-terrorist-pleads-guilty-to-attack-plot\/\" data-node-ref=\"tmz:article:ad092ab9-e37f-458c-b104-f12c77a0d167\" data-context='{\"section\":\"main\",\"name\":\"related-article\",\"pos\":1}'><\/p>\n<div class=\"related-articles__card-img ratio\">\n<div class=\"ratio-item\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/imagez.tmz.com\/image\/06\/16by9\/2026\/04\/28\/06fcc1c1fd3e49c8add5765b67664891_xs.jpg\" alt=\"taylor swift and Ernst Happel Stadium getty 1\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" class=\"img-fluid\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"related-articles__card-body\">\n<h4 class=\"related-articles__card-title\">\n                        Man Pleads Guilty to Plotting Attack on Taylor Swift&#8217;s Austria Concerts<br \/>\n                      <\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col related-articles__col\">\n<article class=\"related-articles__card\"><a class=\"related-articles__card-link js-track-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/2025\/12\/25\/president-trump-announces-deadly-strike-against-isis-nigeria-retaliation-killing-christians\/\" data-node-ref=\"tmz:article:ad092ab9-e37f-458c-b104-f12c77a0d167\" data-context='{\"section\":\"main\",\"name\":\"related-article\",\"pos\":2}'><\/p>\n<div class=\"related-articles__card-img ratio\">\n<div class=\"ratio-item\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/imagez.tmz.com\/image\/9c\/16by9\/2025\/12\/26\/9c42de543d0c4f9292246b5aa7d0f293_xs.jpg\" alt=\"donald-trump-getty-1\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" class=\"img-fluid\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"related-articles__card-body\">\n<h4 class=\"related-articles__card-title\">\n                        President Trump Announces Deadly Strike Against ISIS in Nigeria<br \/>\n                      <\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col related-articles__col\">\n<article class=\"related-articles__card\"><a class=\"related-articles__card-link js-track-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/2024\/08\/07\/taylor-swift-eras-tour-vienna-shows-canceled-terrorist-attack\/\" data-node-ref=\"tmz:article:ad092ab9-e37f-458c-b104-f12c77a0d167\" data-context='{\"section\":\"main\",\"name\":\"related-article\",\"pos\":3}'><\/p>\n<div class=\"related-articles__card-img ratio\">\n<div class=\"ratio-item\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/imagez.tmz.com\/image\/61\/16by9\/2024\/08\/07\/61dcda08d28f4998a176c4b3f507312f_xs.jpg\" alt=\"taylor swift\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" class=\"img-fluid\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"related-articles__card-body\">\n<h4 class=\"related-articles__card-title\">\n                        Taylor Swift&#8217;s &#8216;Eras&#8217; 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src=&#8221;https:\/\/imagez.tmz.com\/image\/9d\/16by9\/2026\/05\/16\/9db972addad849f59308a203d7778b81_xl.png&#8221;] Donald Trump Announces U.S. Killed High-Ranking ISIS Official, Hegseth Shares Video President Donald TrumpWe Got ISIS&#8217;s Second-in-Command &#8230;Strike Vid Shared By Department of War By TMZ Staff Published May 16, 2026 2:40 PM PDT FIRE IN THE SKY Video: U.S. Launches Attack on ISIS in Nigeria X\/@USAfricaCommand President Donald Trump says the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[226,77],"class_list":["post-1939667","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-crawlmanager","tag-tmz-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1939667","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1939667"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1939667\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1939667"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1939667"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1939667"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}