This is a list of individuals who have been the targets of assassination by the United States. American authorities usually define these killings as 'targeted killings'.
Successful assassinations Target Position Date Location Country Nationality Method NotesCharlemagne PéralteSupreme commander of the Cacos.1919-11-01Near Sainte-SuzanneShooting.Isoroku YamamotoGensui of the Imperial Japanese Navy, Commander-in-Chief of the Combined Fleet, mastermind of the Attack on Pearl Harbor.1943-04-18Bougainville IslandPlane shot down.Part of Operation Vengeance.Viet Cong operativesVarious. 1966–1972Various South Vietnam North VietnamTorture murder.Part of Phoenix Program.Thai Khac ChuyenSouth Vietnamese secret agent and translator1969-06-20Nha Trang South Vietnam South VietnamDrugged and shot.Fred Hampton and Mark ClarkChairman of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party (F. Hampton).1969-12-4Chicago, Illinois United States United StatesShooting.Qaed Salim Sinan al-HarethiParticipant in the USS Cole bombing. 2002-11-03 SanaaDrone strike.Killed alongside 5 others in the 2002 Marib airstrike, including American citizen Kamal Derwish.Various Iraqi insurgent groups including Al-Qaeda in Iraq, ex-Ba'athists (FRLs), Special Groups backed by Iran etc.Various, 1,000+ HVTs assassinated.2003–2009Throughout IraqVariousDrone/air strikes, sniper operations, bombings, raids, etc.Assassination campaign carried out by JSOC and CIA paramilitaries in secret to quell the anti-U.S. insurgency in Iraq.Naik Muhammad WazirPro-Taliban militant leader.2004-06-18South Waziristan, Khyber PakhtunkhwaDrone strike.Haitham al-YemeniExplosives expert for Al-Qaeda. 2005-05-08 North WaziristanDrone strike.Abu Hamza RabiaThird highest Al-Qaeda leader. 2005-12-01North WaziristanDrone strike.Abu Musab al-ZarqawiLeader of Al Qaeda in Iraq. 2006-06-07Baqubah, Diyala Governorate IraqAir strike.JSOC air strike.Abu Laith al-LibiSenior commander of Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan. 2008-01-29 North Waziristan LibyaDrone strike.Imad Mughniya Deputy commander of Hezbollah and assassin. 2008-02-12 Damascus Car bombing. Joint C.I.A.–Mossad operation. Abu Khabab al-MasriHead of Al-Qaeda chemical weapons programme. 2008-07-28South WaziristanDrone strike.Abu Wafa al SaudiInvolved in Al-Qaeda logistics. 2008-09-04Drone strike.Abu HarisAl-Qaeda commander. 2008-09-08North Waziristan DistrictUnknownDrone strike.Khalid HabibSenior member of Al-Qaeda. 2008-10-16near TaparghaiDrone strike.Mohammad Hasan Khalil al-HakimHead of Al-Qaeda propaganda. 2008-10-31North WaziristanDrone strike.Abu Zubair al-MasriExplosives expert for Al-Qaeda. 2008-11-22North WaziristanDrone strike.Rashid RaufSenior member of Al-Qaeda. 2008-11-22North WaziristanDrone strike.Fahid Mohammed Ally MsalamOne of the perpetrators of the 1998 United States embassy bombings. 2009-01-01Karikot, South WaziristanDrone strike.Sheikh Ahmed Salim SwedanOne of the perpetrators of the 1998 United States embassy bombings.2009-01-01Karikot, South Waziristan Pakistan KenyaDrone strike. Baitullah Mehsud Leader of Tehrik-i-Taliban. 2009-08-05South WaziristanDrone strike.Tohir YoʻldoshLeader of Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan. 2009-08-27Zhob, BalochistanDrone strike.Najmiddin JalolovLeader of Islamic Jihad Union. 2009-09-14Near Mir Ali, North WaziristanDrone strike.Saleh al-SomaliSenior member of Al-Qaeda. 2009-12-08Federally Administered Tribal AreasDrone strike.Abdullah Said al LibiSenior member of Al-Qaeda. 2009-12-17North Waziristan LibyaDrone strike. Sa'ad bin Laden One of Osama bin Laden's sons. 2009 Unspecified Drone strike. Ahmed Mohammed Hamed AliParticipant in the 1998 United States embassy bombings.2010UnspecifiedDrone strike.Qari Mohammad ZarifLeader of Fada'iyan-e Islam. 2010-02-24Khyber PakhtunkhwaDrone strike.Saeed al-MasriHead of Al-Qaeda finances. 2010-05-21Boya, North WaziristanDrone strike.Hamza al-JufiLeader of Jundallah. 2010-06-29Near Wana, Khyber PakhtunkhwaDrone strike.Sheikh al-FatahLeader of Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan. 2010-09-25Drone strike.Abu IbrahimLeader of Fursan-i-Mohammed. 2010-10-06Drone strike. Sheik Fateh al Masri Top commander of the Lashkar al Zil. 2010-12 Drone strike. Abu Zaid al-IraqiHead of Al-Qaeda finances in Pakistan. 2011-02-20Drone strike.Osama bin LadenLeader of Al-Qaeda, mastermind of the September 11 attacks. 2011-05-02Bilal Town, Abbottabad Pakistan Saudi ArabiaUnited States Navy SEALs raid.Part of Operation Neptune Spear.Ilyas KashmiriSenior member of Al-Qaeda. 2011-06-03North Waziristan Pakistan PakistanDrone strike.Atiyah Abd al-RahmanOsama bin Laden's Chief of Staff. 2011-08-22North Waziristan Pakistan LibyaDrone strike.Abu Hafs al-ShahriAl-Qaeda commander. 2011-09-11Mir Ali, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa PakistanDrone strike.Anwar al-AwlakiMember of Al-Qaeda. 2011-09-30Al Jawf Yemen United StatesDrone strike.Abu Miqdad al MasriMember of Al-Qaeda. 2011-10-14Drone strike.Aslam AwanDeputy leader of external operations for Al-Qaeda. 2012-01-10Drone strike.Bader MansoorLeader of an Al-Qaeda affiliate. 2012-02-09Drone strike.Fahd al-QusoOfficer of Al-Qaeda and facilitator2012-05-06Rafdh districtDrone strike.Abu Yahya al-LibiSenior member of Al-Qaeda. 2012-06-04Mir Ali Pakistan LibyaDrone strike.Usman AdilLeader of Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan. 2012-04-29Miranshah, North Waziristan PakistanDrone strike.Abdul Shakoor al-TurkistaniTurkistan Islamic Party. 2012-08-24North Waziristan ChinaDrone strike.Hassan GhulAl-Qaeda courier2012-10-01North WaziristanDrone strike.Yaseen al SomaliDeputy Commander for Al-Qaeda training. 2013-01-08Haider Khel, North WaziristanDrone strike.Abu Ubaydah Abdullah al-AdamCommander for Al-Qaeda intelligence. 2013-04-14Drone strike.Abu Saif al JaziriSenior commander for training of Al-Qaeda. 2013-07-03Drone strike.Sangeen ZadranOperational commander of Haqqani network2013-09-05North WaziristanDrone strike.Hakimullah MehsudEmir of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan2013-11-01Dande Darpa Khel, North WaziristanDrone strike.Ahmed Abdi GodaneLeader of Al-Shabaab. 2014-09-01Hawaay, Lower Shabelle Somalia SomaliaDrone strike.Sheikh Imran Ali SiddiLeader of Al-Qaeda in the Indian subcontinent. 2014-10-11Tirah, North WaziristanDrone strike.Umar FarooqCommander of Al-Qaeda. 2014-12-07Dattakhel, North WaziristanDrone strike.Adam Yahiye GadahnAl-Qaeda spokesperson and media advisor. 2015-01-19Waziristan United StatesDrone strike. Adan Garar Suspected of a role in the Westgate Mall attack. 2015-03 Diinsoor Somalia Somalia Drone strike. Ibrahim Sulayman Muhammad ArbayshSenior member of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. 2015-04-12Hadhramaut Yemen Saudi ArabiaDrone strike.Nasser bin Ali al-AnsiSenior member of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. 2015-05-07Mukalla Yemen YemenDrone strike.Akhtar MansurSupreme leader of the Taliban2016-05-21Ahmad Wal, BalochistanDrone strike.Hamza bin LadenSon of Osama bin Laden, emerging leader of al-Qaeda2017-2019Afghanistan/Pakistan region Afghanistan Saudi ArabiaDrone strike.Details remain scarce.Qasem SoleimaniCommander of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. 2020-01-03Baghdad Iraq IranDrone strike.Soleimani was the second most powerful person in Iran.Abu Mahdi al-MuhandisDeputy Chairman of the Popular Mobilization Forces. 2020-01-03Baghdad Iraq IraqDrone strike.One of Iraq’s most powerful men.Qasim al-RaymiLeader of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.2020-02-07Wald Rabi' District, Al Bayda Governorate Yemen YemenDrone strike.Maher al-AgalLeader of ISIS in Syria.2022-07-12Jindires, Aleppo Governorate Syria SyriaDrone strike.Ayman al-ZawahiriLeader of Al-Qaeda. 2022-07-31Kabul Afghanistan EgyptDrone strike.Usamah al-MuhajirLeader of ISIS forces in East Syria.2023-07-09Aleppo Governorate Syria SyriaDrone strike.Mushtaq Talib Al-Saeedi (Abu Taqwa)Senior Commander of Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba. 2024-01-04BaghdadDrone strike.Wissam al-Saadi (Abu Baqir)Senior Commander of Kata'ib Hezbollah.2024-02-07BaghdadDrone strike.He was in charge of Kata'ib Hezbollah’s operations in Syria.Arkan al-AlawiSenior Kata'ib Hezbollah commander and intelligence operative.2024-02-07BaghdadDrone strike.Abdallah Makki Muslih al Rifai (Abu Khadijah)ISIS’s chief of global operations, the second in command in Iraq.2025-03-13Al Anbar ProvinceAir strike.Ali KhameneiIran's Supreme Leader.2026-02-28TehranAir strike.Part of Operation Epic Fury.Abu Hassan Al-FarijiKata'ib Hezbollah commander.2026-03-04Babil ProvinceDrone strike.Abu Ali al-AskariSenior Security Commander of KH2026-03-14BaghdadAir strike.Niño GuerreroLeader of Tren de Aragua, drug trafficker.2026-6-12Sifontes MunicipalityAir strike.
Failed attempts +TargetPositionDateLocationCountryNationalityMethodNotesMuammar GaddafiBrotherly Leader and Guide of the Revolution of Libya.1986-04-15Bab al-Azizia Libya LibyaAir strike.Part of the 1986 United States bombing of Libya. Saddam Hussein President of Iraq 2003-03-19 Dora Farm Complex, Dora, Baghdad Iraq Iraq Air strike.The George W. Bush presidency authorized the U.S. military to launch "decapitation strikes", prior to the invasion of Iraq.Ahmad Shah Leader of an anti-coalition militia (ACM)2005-06-27Sawtalo Sar, Kunar Afghanistan AfghanistanSEAL Team and U.S. Marines raid.Part of Operation Red Wings, resulted in the death of 19 U.S. soldiers including a 4-man SEAL reconnaissance team.Abdul Reza ShahlaiIRGC-QF Brigadier General2020-01-03Sana’a Yemen IranDrone strike.U.S. special operations forces tried to liquidate Shahlai as part of an American effort to cripple the leadership of Iran's Quds Force.
Planned but unexecuted assassinations +TargetPositionNationalityMethodNotesFidel CastroPrime Minister of Cuba, President of Cuba, and First Secretary of the Cuban Communist Party.Reported by the Church Committee.Patrice LumumbaPrime Minister of Congo-LeopoldvilleReported by the Church Committee.Rafael TrujilloPresident of the Dominican RepublicReported by the Church Committee.Ngo Dinh DiemPresident of South VietnamReported by the Church Committee.René SchneiderCommander-in-Chief of the Chilean Army Reported by the Church Committee.SukarnoPresident of IndonesiaReported by the Rockefeller Commission
See also Drone strike Assassination and targeted killing by the CIA List of assassinations List of Apartheid South Africa assassinations List of assassinations by the Gaddafi regime List of Israeli assassinations List of Iranian assassinations List of Soviet and Russian assassinations (disambiguation) United States involvement in regime change Criticism of United States foreign policy U.S. list of most-wanted Iraqis U.S. kill or capture strategy in Iraq Operation Condor Political violence in the United States
References