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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 15 strikes consisting of 15 engagements in Syria:

• Near Abu Kamal, a strike destroyed 27 oil barrels, 11 oil storage tanks and two oil tanker trucks.
• Near Palmyra, a strike destroyed an anti-air artillery system.
• Near Raqqa, 13 strikes engaged eight ISIL tactical units; destroyed eight fighting positions and a vehicle and damaged four supply routes.

Strikes in Iraq

Artillery as well as attack, fighter and rotary wing aircraft conducted two strikes consisting of 22 engagements in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of Iraq’s government:

• Near Mosul, two strikes engaged an ISIL tactical unit and a staging area; destroyed eight watercraft, three barges, three vehicles, a tunnel entrance, a mortar system and a weapons facility; and suppressed four mortar teams.

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 Syria include the United States, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom. Coalition nations that have conducted strikes in Iraq include the United States, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

(Source: US Dept of Defense)

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 yesterday’s strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.

Strikes in Syria

Attack, bomber, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft conducted 22 strikes in 30 engagements in Syria:

• Near Al Bab, two strikes engaged two ISIL tactical units.
• Near Ar Raqqah, 10 strikes engaged four ISIL tactical units; destroyed three tactical vehicles, three fighting positions, two vehicles, an ISIL headquarters, a tunnel system, and a weapons-storage facility.
• Near Ayn Isa, a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed a fighting position.
• Near Palmyra, nine strikes engaged seven ISIL staging areas and destroyed two tactical vehicles.

Strikes in Iraq

Attack, bomber, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft, as well as artillery and rocket artillery conducted 13 strikes consisting of 50 engagements in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of Iraq’s government:

• Near Al Huwijah, two strikes engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL-held building.
• Near Kirkuk, two strikes engaged two ISIL tactical units; destroyed a logistic node and a vehicle.
• Near Kisik, a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit; destroyed an ISIL checkpoint, a supply cache, and a bunker.
• Near Mosul, three strikes engaged three ISIL tactical units; destroyed seven front-end loaders, four watercraft, three mortar systems, two excavators, two supply caches, a vehicle, and a barge, damaged 32 supply routes; and suppressed a mortar team and a sniper team.
• Near Qayyarah, two strikes engaged an ISIL tactical unit; destroyed a UAV launch site, and damaged six supply routes.
• Near Rawah, two strikes engaged an ISIL staging area and destroyed a vehicle bomb factory.
• Near Sinjar, a strike destroyed an ISIL-held 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 it poses to Iraq, Syria, the region and the wider international community. The destruction of targets in Syria and Iraq further limits ISIL's ability to project terror and conduct operations, officials said.

Coalition nations that have conducted strikes in Iraq include the United States, include 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, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom.

(Source: US Dept of Defense)

U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq on Monday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported yesterday.

Officials reported details of yesterday’s strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.

Strikes in Syria

Attack, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft conducted 17 strikes consisting of 28 engagements in Syria:

• Near Abu Kamal, a strike destroyed an oil wellhead.
• Near Ayn Isa, a strike destroyed a vehicle-borne bomb.
• Near Palmyra, nine strikes destroyed 17 heavy-equipment vehicles, 11 vehicles, four dump trucks, three front-end loaders, three vehicle-borne bombs and two tanks.
• Near Raqqa, six strikes destroyed three tunnels, a weapons facility, a vehicle and an oil wellhead.

Strikes in Iraq

Fighter aircraft and ground-based artillery conducted seven strikes consisting of 42 engagements in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of the Iraqi government:

• Near Beiji, a strike destroyed two tactical vehicles.
• Near Haditha, a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL-held building, a vehicle and a supply cache.
• Near Kisik, a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL-held building and a supply cache.
• Near Mosul, four strikes engaged four ISIL tactical units and an ISIL staging area; destroyed two watercraft, two supply caches, two weapons caches, a barge, a bunker, a dump truck, a front-end loader, a mortar system, a vehicle, a vehicle-borne-bomb facility and an anti-air artillery system; and damaged 16 supply routes and a tunnel.

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 it poses to Iraq, Syria, the region and the wider international community. The destruction of targets in Syria and Iraq further limits ISIL'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, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.

(Source: US Dept of Defense)

U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq on Sunday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported yesterday.

Officials reported details of the latest strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.

Attack, bomber, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft conducted 16 strikes in 18 engagements in Syria:

• Near Abu Kamal, three strikes destroyed five oil wellheads.
• Near Dayr Az Zawr, seven strikes destroyed nine oil tanker trucks, six oil wellheads and a pumpjack.
• Near Raqqa, six strikes destroyed three tunnels, an artillery system, a vehicle bomb and an ISIL headquarters.

Strikes in Iraq

Bomber, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft and rocket artillery conducted nine strikes in 27 engagements in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of Iraq’s government:

• Near Huwayjah, a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit, destroyed two ISIL-held buildings and damaged a tunnel.
• Near Kisik, a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL-held building and a command-and-control node.
• Near Mosul, three strikes destroyed 23 ISIL-held buildings, an ISIL headquarters and a front-end loader; and damaged 14 supply routes and a tunnel.
• Near Qaim, a strike destroyed three bunkers.
• Near Rawah, two strikes engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed a vehicle, a tactical vehicle and a vehicle bomb.
• Near Tuz, a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed two ISIL-held buildings and a vehicle.

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 Syria include the United States, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, France, Jordan, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom. Coalition nations that have conducted strikes in Iraq include the United States, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

(Source: US Dept of Defense)

U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Iraq and Syria on Saturday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported yesterday.

Officials reported details of the latest strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.

Strikes in Syria

Attack, bomber, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft conducted 21 strikes in 25 engagements in Syria:

• Near Abu Kamal, a strike destroyed an ISIL tanker truck, two oil stills and three oil storage tanks.
• Near Ayn Isa, a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed a fighting position.
• Near Dayr Az Zawr, two strikes destroyed an ISIL pump jack and an oil wellhead.
• Near Idlib, a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed a vehicle.
• Near Palmyra, a strike destroyed an ISIL tank.
• Near Raqqa, 15 strikes engaged five ISIL tactical units; destroyed 11 oil tanker trucks, three oil storage tanks, three tunnels, two fighting positions, two oil pumpjacks, a vehicle and a command and control node; and damaged three supply routes.

Strikes in Iraq

Bomber, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft and rocket artillery conducted 11 strikes in 38 engagements in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of Iraq’s government:

• Near Beiji, a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed a vehicle.
• Near Haditha, a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit.
• Near Huwayjah, a strike destroyed an improvised explosive device factory.
• Near Kirkuk, a strike destroyed an ISIL vehicle bomb.
• Near Mosul, five strikes engaged an ISIL tactical unit; destroyed three watercraft, a vehicle bomb, a barge, a vehicle, an unmanned aircraft and an artillery system; and damaged 18 supply routes.
• Near Qaim, a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed a vehicle.
• Near Rawah, a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed a vehicle 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.

(Source: US Dept of Defense)

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 31 strikes in 40 engagements in Syria:

• Near Abu Kamal, two strikes engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed a vehicle and an oil inlet manifold.
• Near Bab, four strikes engaged three ISIL tactical units; destroyed two fighting positions; and damaged a command-and-control node.
• Near Dayr Az Zawr, three strikes destroyed three oil wellheads and two oil tanker trucks.
• Near Raqqa, 21 strikes engaged four ISIL tactical units; destroyed 53 oil barrels, 39 oil storage tanks, four oil wellheads, four tunnel entrances, two tunnels, two vehicles, two unmanned aerial vehicles, a fighting position and a tank; and damaged eight supply routes.
• Near Shadaddi, a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit.

Strikes in Iraq

Bomber, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft and rocket artillery conducted 10 strikes in 24 engagements in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of Iraq’s government:

• Near Kirkuk, a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed a supply cache and an ISIL-held building.
• Near Kisik, two strikes engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed two vehicles, a supply cache, a fighting position and a tunnel.
• Near Mosul, four strikes engaged two ISIL tactical units; destroyed an artillery system, a checkpoint and a bunker; and damaged three supply routes.
• Near Rawah, a strike destroyed two fuel storage tanks and a vehicle bomb facility.
• Near Tal Afar, two strikes destroyed a vehicle, a tactical vehicle and a vehicle bomb.

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 Syria include the United States, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, France, Jordan, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom. Coalition nations that have conducted strikes in Iraq include the United States, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

(Source: US Dept of Defense)

U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Iraq and Syria on Tuesday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported yesterday.

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 11 strikes in 16 engagements in Syria:

• Near Abu Kamal, five strikes destroyed six oil wellheads, five front-end loaders, a bulldozer and an oil tanker.
• Near Ayn Isa, three strikes damaged three supply routes.
• Near Raqqa, three strikes destroyed 20 oil barrels, three tunnels, an oil inlet manifold and an oil storage tank.

Strikes in Iraq

Attack, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft conducted five strikes in 11 engagements in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of Iraq’s government:

• Huwayjah, a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed a fighting position and a supply cache.
• Near Kirkuk, a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed a fighting position, a supply cache and an observation post.
• Near Kisik, a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit and damaged a tunnel.
• Near Rutbah, two strikes destroyed three vehicles and a vehicle bomb.

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 Syria include the United States, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, France, Jordan, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom. Coalition nations that have conducted strikes in Iraq include the United States, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

(Source: US Dept of Defense)

U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Iraq and Syria on Monday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported yesterday.

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 11 strikes in 16 engagements in Syria:

• Near Abu Kamal, five strikes destroyed six oil wellheads, five front-end loaders, a bulldozer and an oil tanker.
• Near Ayn Isa, three strikes damaged three supply routes.
• Near Raqqa, three strikes destroyed 20 oil barrels, three tunnels, an oil inlet manifold and an oil storage tank.

Strikes in Iraq

Attack, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft conducted five strikes in 11 engagements in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of Iraq’s government:

• Near Huwayjah, a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed a fighting position and a supply cache.
• Near Kirkuk, a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed a fighting position, a supply cache and an observation post.
• Near Kisik, a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit and damaged a tunnel.
• Near Rutbah, two strikes destroyed three vehicles and a vehicle bomb.

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 Syria include the United States, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, France, Jordan, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom. Coalition nations that have conducted strikes in Iraq include the United States, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

(Source: US Dept of Defense)

By Ali Mamouri for Al Monitor. Any views expressed here are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. 

On Jan. 14, Iraqi and Iranian media reported that Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari (pictured) offered to mediate between Iran and Saudi Arabia in order to overcome their disputes and restore their bilateral relations that were ruptured following the Jan. 2, 2016, attack on the Saudi Embassy in Tehran.

The attack came after a series of diplomatic tensions between the two countries over incidents such as the 2015 hajj stampede in Mecca that killed more than 450 pilgrims and Saudi Arabia’s execution of dissident Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr on Jan. 2, 2016.

Jaafari confirmed these reports, saying that he has been engaged in mediation efforts since last year. “I’ve indeed exchanged messages between officials from the two countries,” he said, according to what Reuters reported from Iranian state TV. Jaafari added, “Any crisis in Saudi-Iranian relations also affects Iraq as well and vice versa.”

Jaafari’s mediation attempt followed official efforts by Gulf Cooperation Countries (GCC) to thaw the ice between Tehran and Riyadh and open channels of dialogue. Kuwait’s Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled al-Jarallah said Dec. 1 that the GCC countries are trying to send a message to Iran on behalf of the council, inviting both countries to dialogue meetings, adding that Kuwait will be transmitting the message to Iran and that “contacts with Iran are ongoing to set a convenient date to deliver that message.”

On Jan. 17, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said that at least a dozen countries, including Iraq and Kuwait, have offered to mediate between the Islamic republic and the kingdom, indicating that Iran hailed these efforts and wishes to be on good terms with everyone, especially the Gulf states and Saudi Arabia. Rouhani’s statement was previously echoed by Iran’s Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani and Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, both wishing to renew relations with the kingdom.

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 yesterday’s strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.

Strikes in Syria

Attack, bomber and fighter aircraft conducted six strikes consisting of seven engagements in Syria:

• Near Abu Kamal, two strikes destroyed four oil tanker trucks.
• Near Raqqah, four strikes destroyed three oil pump jacks, an ISIL-held building, a tank and an oil inlet manifold; damaged six supply routes.

Strikes in Iraq

Attack and fighter aircraft conducted three strikes consisting of nine engagements in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of the Iraqi government:

• Near Qaim, a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit and an ISIL training camp and destroyed four bunkers and a supply cache.
• Near Kisik, a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed a supply cache and a tunnel.
• Near Mosul, a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, a heavy machine gun; damaged a supply route.

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 it poses to Iraq, Syria, the region and the wider international community. The destruction of targets in Syria and Iraq further limits ISIL's ability to project terror and conduct operations, officials said.

Coalition nations that have conducted strikes in Syria include the United States, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom. Coalition nations that have conducted strikes in Iraq include the United States, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

(Source: US Dept of Defense)