WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense officials say the U.S. military believes a recent airstrike killed Junaid Hussain, a British hacker for the Islamic State.

Two officials said the airstrike was conducted in recent days in or near Raqqa, the Syrian city that the Islamic State considers its capital, and that it apparently killed Hussain. The officials were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and so spoke on condition of anonymity.

A Pentagon spokesman, Navy Capt. Jeff Davis, said recent U.S. airstrikes have targeted Islamic State leaders but he had no specifics to announce.

More than just a hacker for the Islamic State, Hussain is believed to be a key figure in the group as a recruiter.