U.S. Military Airstrikes Hit ISIL

From a U.S. Central Command News Release

TAMPA, Fla., Sept. 16, 2014 – U.S. military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Iraq, employing attack and fighter aircraft to conduct two airstrikes Sept. 14 and yesterday in support of Iraqi Security Forces near Sinjar and southwest of Baghdad.

U.S. Central Command officials said the airstrike southwest of Baghdad was the first strike taken as part of the United States’ expanded efforts, “beyond protecting our own people and humanitarian missions to hit ISIL targets as Iraqi forces go on offense,” as outlined in President Barack Obama’s Sept. 10 speech. 

In total, the strikes destroyed six ISIL vehicles near Sinjar and an ISIL fighting position southwest of Baghdad that was firing on Iraqi security force personnel. All aircraft exited the strike areas safely.

These strikes were conducted under authority to protect U.S. personnel and facilities, support humanitarian efforts, and help Iraqi forces on the offensive against ISIL terrorists.

 U.S. Central Command has conducted a total of 162 airstrikes across Iraq.