U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
Officials reported details of the latest strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.
Strikes in Syria
Attack, bomber and fighter aircraft conducted eight strikes in Syria:
-- Near Abu Kamal, three strikes destroyed four ISIL tanker trucks and a pumpjack.
-- Near Raqqah, three strikes engaged an ISIL vehicle bomb facility and destroyed three oil tanker trucks, a tank and two tactical vehicles.
-- Near Dayr Az Zawr, a strike destroyed an ISIL pumpjack.
-- Near Mara, a strike destroyed an ISIL fighting position and a mortar system.
Strikes in Iraq
Fighter, ground attack and remotely piloted aircraft conducted eight strikes in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of Iraq’s government:
-- Near Baghdadi, a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed a building.
-- Near Beiji, a strike damaged an ISIL mortar system.
-- Near Haditha, a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed a building.
-- Near Hit, a strike destroyed an ISIL bunker.
-- Near Kisik, a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed three fighting positions and a weapons cache.
-- Near Mosul, two strikes engaged two ISIL tactical units and destroyed a tunnel and two assembly areas.
-- Near Ramadi, a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed a building and a mortar system.
Task force officials define a strike as one or more kinetic events that occur in roughly the same geographic location to produce a single, sometimes cumulative, effect. Therefore, officials explained, a single aircraft delivering a single weapon against a lone ISIL vehicle is one strike, but so is multiple aircraft delivering dozens of weapons against buildings, vehicles and weapon systems in a compound, for example, having the cumulative effect of making those targets harder or impossible for ISIL to use. Accordingly, officials said, they do not report the number or type of aircraft employed in a strike, the number of munitions dropped in each strike, or the number of individual munition impact points against a target. Ground-based artillery fired in counterfire or in fire support to maneuver roles is not classified as a strike.
Part of Operation Inherent Resolve
The strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to eliminate the ISIL terrorist group and the threat they pose to Iraq, Syria, and the wider international community. The destruction of ISIL targets in Syria and Iraq further limits the terrorist group's ability to project terror and conduct operations, officials said.
Coalition nations that have conducted strikes in Iraq include the United States, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Coalition nations that have conducted strikes in Syria include the United States, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, France, Jordan, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.