"Last night at my direction, US military forces in northwest Syria successfully undertook a counterterrorism operation to protect the American people and our allies, and make the world a safer place," Biden said in a statement.

A senior US official said the IS leader had blown himself up during the operation.

"Thanks to the skill and bravery of our Armed Forces, we have taken off the battlefield Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi -- the leader of ISIS. All Americans have returned safely from the operation," Biden added, using another acronym for IS.

Biden was scheduled to make public remarks early Thursday on the raid.