U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in 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, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft conducted 12 strikes in Syria:
-- Near Abu Kamak, a strike destroyed ISIL oil production equipment.
-- Near Raqqah, two strikes destroyed two ISIL oil wellheads and an oil pump.
-- Near Ayn Isa, seven strikes engaged six ISIL tactical units and destroyed three fighting positions, a vehicle and a vehicle bomb facility.
-- Near Manbij, a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed a vehicle and a heavy machine gun.
-- Near Mara, a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit.
Strikes in Iraq
Attack and fighter aircraft conducted six strikes in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of Iraq’s government:
-- Near Mosul, three strikes engaged three ISIL tactical units; destroyed six ISIL-held buildings, four fighting positions, three mortar systems, a heavy machine gun and a sniper position; suppressed two tactical units; and damaged a mortar system.
-- Near Rawah, two strikes engaged an ISIL vehicle bomb factory and destroyed two storage containers and a vehicle.
-- Near Tal Afar, a strike engaged an ISIL headquarters building.
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.