Syrian state-run news agency SANA says the army has killed the military commander of the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front.

The agency says Abu Hommam al-Shami was killed during a military operation carried out by the Syrian army that targeted a Nusra meeting in the village of Habeet, in the northern Idlib province.

It did not elaborate, but the report suggested he was killed in an airstrike.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed that a Nusra Front leadership meeting was targeted in Idlib, killing a number of prominent leaders, including Abu Hommam.

The U.S.-led coalition has not carried out airstrikes in Syria's northwestern province of Idlib in the past 24 hours, a spokesman said on Thursday.

"Within the last 24 hours, we have not conducted any airstrikes within 200 miles of the province of Idlib," the spokesman said, speaking on condition of anonymity.