Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla

Commander, U.S. Central Command (2022-2025)

Appears in 1 story

Born: May 16, 1966, California

Education: United States Military Academy, Regis University, National War College

Last updated Nov 2, 2026

Stories

ISIS strikes back after Assad's fall

Force in Play

As of May 2026: Oversaw counter-ISIS operations until August 2025

A lone ISIS gunman killed two Iowa National Guardsmen and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra, Syria, on December 13, 2025—the first American combat deaths since Bashar al-Assad fled the country a year earlier. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth responded with Operation Hawkeye Strike.

Updated May 16