No. 2 Islamic State Leader Killed in U.S. Airstrike

OAK BLUFFS, Mass. (TheBlaze/AP) -- The Obama administration says the No. 2 leader of the Islamic State militant group is dead, killed in a U.S. military air strike in Iraq earlier this week.

National Security Council spokesman Ned Price says Fadhil Ahmad al-Hayali was traveling in a vehicle near the northern Iraqi city of Mosul when he was killed Tuesday.

Statement by NSC Spokesperson Ned Price on the Death of ISIL Deputy Leader Fadhil Ahmad al-Hayali, aka Hajji Mutazz pic.twitter.com/jEhS6Da0G4

— Ram Ramgopal (@RamCNN) August 21, 2015

As the senior deputy to Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, al-Hayali was the primary coordinator for moving large amounts of weapons, explosives, vehicles and people between Iraq and Syria.

Price characterized Al-Hayali's death as a blow to Islamic State operations because his influence spanned finance, media, operations and logistics for the group.

“The United States and its coalition partners are determined to degrade and destroy this terrorist group which has wrought so much harm and suffering on the people of the region and beyond,” a Price said in a statement.

Also killed in the air strike was an Islamic State media operative known as Abu Abdullah.

#Breaking: #ISIS Number 2 leader is believed to have been killed in a drone strike: https://t.co/A7THANiROK https://t.co/XS1XEUXzyX

— The Situation Room (@CNNSitRoom)

August 21, 2015