Coalition Strikes Continue Against ISIS Targets in Syria, Iraq

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve and its partners have accelerated offensive activity against Islamic State of Iraq and Syria targets in designated parts of Syria and Iraq, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.

Between July 16-22, coalition military forces conducted 24 strikes, consisting of 40 engagements, in Iraq and Syria

Strikes in Syria

There were no reported strikes conducted in Syria yesterday.

On July 21, coalition military forces conducted three strikes consisting of six engagements against ISIS targets near Abu Kamal. The strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed three ISIS vehicles and an ISIS line of communication.

On July 20, coalition military forces conducted four strikes consisting of six engagements against ISIS targets near Abu Kamal. The strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed an ISIS vehicle and two ISIS supply routes.

On July 19, coalition military forces conducted four strikes consisting of four engagements against ISIS targets near Abu Kamal. The strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed two ISIS logistics hubs and two ISIS lines of communication.

On July 18, coalition military forces conducted four strikes consisting of five engagements against ISIS targets near Abu Kamal. The strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed two ISIS vehicles and three ISIS lines of communication.

On July 17, coalition military forces conducted a strike consisting of one engagement against ISIS targets near Soor. The strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed two ISIS motorcycles.

On July 16, coalition military forces conducted four strikes consisting of four engagements against ISIS targets near Abu Kamal. The strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed an ISIS vehicle, two ISIS supply routes and an ISIS-held building.

Strikes in Iraq

Yesterday, coalition military forces conducted a strike consisting of two engagements against ISIS targets near Kisik.

There were no reported strikes conducted in Iraq on July 21, 2018.

On July 20, coalition military forces conducted a strike consisting of two engagements against ISIS targets near Sulayman Bek. The strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit, and destroyed two ISIS vehicles and an ISIS cave.

There were no reported strikes conducted in Iraq on July 18-19.

On July 17, coalition military forces conducted a strike consisting of one engagement against ISIS targets near Sulayman Bek. The strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed an ISIS vehicle-borne improvised explosive device and two ISIS fighting positions.

On July 16, coalition military forces conducted a strike consisting of nine engagements against ISIS targets near Makhmur. The strike destroyed 14 ISIS caves, five ISIS tunnels and four ISIS-held buildings.

Part of Operation Inherent Resolve

These strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to destroy ISIS in Iraq and Syria. The destruction of ISIS targets in Iraq and Syria also further limits the group's ability to project terror and conduct external operations throughout the region and the rest of the world, task force officials said.

The list above contains all strikes conducted by fighter, attack, bomber, rotary-wing or remotely piloted aircraft; rocket-propelled artillery; and ground-based tactical artillery, officials noted.

A strike, as defined by the coalition, refers to one or more kinetic engagements that occur in roughly the same geographic location to produce a single or cumulative effect.

For example, task force officials explained, a single aircraft delivering a single weapon against a lone ISIS vehicle is one strike, but so is multiple aircraft delivering dozens of weapons against a group of ISIS-held buildings and weapon systems in a compound, having the cumulative effect of making that facility harder or impossible to use. Strike assessments are based on initial reports and may be refined, officials said.

The task force does 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.