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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 on Monday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported on Tuesday.

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

Strikes in Syria

Fighter and remotely piloted aircraft conducted four strikes in Syria:

• Near Shadaddi, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit.
• Near Raqqah, two strikes struck an ISIL finance center and an ISIL weapons storage facility.
• Near Mara, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit.

Strikes in Iraq

Rocket artillery and ground-attack, fighter, bomber, and remotely piloted aircraft conducted 25 strikes in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of the Iraqi government:

• Near Baghdadi, a strike destroyed an ISIL vehicle and an ISIL weapons cache.
• Near Albu Hayat, a strike destroyed and ISIL vehicle.
• Near Rutbah, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit.
• Near Bashir, a strike destroyed an ISIL tactical vehicle and four ISIL tunnel entrances.
• Near Beiji, two strikes destroyed four ISIL fighting positions and two ISIL tunnel entrances and denied ISIL access to terrain.
• Near Fallujah, six strikes struck a large ISIL tactical unit and destroyed five ISIL fighting positions, three ISIL tunnel entrances, two ISIL staging areas, an ISIL beddown location, an ISIL-used bridge, an ISIL medium machine gun and an ISIL anti-aircraft artillery piece.
• Near Hit, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit, destroying two ISIL fighting positions and an ISIL heavy machine gun and suppressing an ISIL mortar position.
• Near Mosul, seven strikes struck six separate ISIL tactical units, destroying two ISIL vehicles, three ISIL assembly areas, three ISIL weapons caches, an ISIL mortar system and an ISIL rocket rail and suppressing an ISIL mortar position.
• Near Qayyarah, four strikes struck a large ISIL tactical unit, destroying 19 ISIL rocket rails and an ISIL mortar position and denying ISIL access to terrain.
• Near Ramadi, a strike destroyed an ISIL fighting position and an ISIL 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, the region, 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 on Sunday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported on Monday.

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

Strikes in Syria

Attack, ground-attack and fighter aircraft conducted seven strikes in Syria:

• Near Hawl, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL fighting position.
• Near Shadaddi, two strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed two ISIL staging areas and two ISIL vehicles.
• Near Raqqah, a strike destroyed an ISIL crane.
• Near Mara, three strikes struck three separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed six ISIL fighting positions.

Strikes in Iraq

Attack, ground-attack and fighter aircraft conducted 18 strikes in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of Iraq’s government:

• Near Baghdadi, two strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and suppressed an ISIL mortar position.
• Near Fallujah, four strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units, destroying two ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL heavy machine gun, an ISIL weapons cache, five ISIL tunnel entrances and four ISIL bunkers, and denying ISIL access to terrain.
• Near Habbaniyah, a strike destroyed an ISIL vehicle, an ISIL bunker, 12 ISIL boats an ISIL fuel truck and denied ISIL access to terrain.
• Near Hit, two strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed two ISIL fighting positions and an ISIL mortar system.
• Near Kirkuk, two strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units, destroying three ISIL vehicles, two ISIL tunnel systems, three ISIL assembly areas and an ISIL command-and-control node and deniying ISIL access to terrain.
• Near Kisik, two strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL tunnel system and two ISIL mortar systems.
• Near Mosul, three strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and an ISIL financial center, destroying an ISIL mortar system and suppressing an ISIL mortar position.
• Near Qayyarah, a strike destroyed an ISIL mortar system.
• Near Sultan Abdallah, a strike destroyed two ISIL machine guns and two ISIL mortar systems.

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 Iraq and Syria yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported on Friday.

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

Strikes in Syria

Attack and remotely piloted aircraft conducted six strikes in Syria:

• Near Raqqah, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed two ISIL vehicles.
• Near Mara, five strikes struck five separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed six ISIL fighting positions, four ISIL mortar positions and an ISIL vehicle.

Strikes in Iraq

Bomber, fighter and ground attack aircraft and rocket artillery conducted 16 strikes in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of Iraq’s government:

• Near Baghdadi, two strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit, destroyed two ISIL heavy machine guns and an ISIL bunker and denied ISIL access to terrain.
• Near Fallujah, four strikes struck two separate large ISIL tactical units; destroyed three ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL vehicle and two ISIL-used bridges; suppressed a separate ISIL tactical unit; and denied ISIL access to terrain.
• Near Hit, two strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit, destroyed two ISIL fighting positions and denied ISIL access to terrain.
• Near Kisik, two strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units, destroyed an ISIL assembly area and two ISIL tunnel entrances and denied ISIL access to terrain.
• Near Mosul, two strikes struck an ISIL fuel and service station and suppressed an ISIL mortar position.
• Near Qayyarah, two strikes struck a large ISIL tactical unit, destroyed an ISIL tunnel entrance and denied ISIL access to terrain.
• Near Ramadi, a strike struck a large ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL assembly area.
• Near Sinjar, a strike destroyed an ISIL rocket position.

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 Iraq on Tuesday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported on Wednesday.

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

Strikes in Iraq

Bomber, fighter, ground attack and remotely piloted aircraft conducted 23 strikes in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of Iraq’s government:

• Near Baghdadi, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed two ISIL tunnel systems, an ISIL tunnel entrance, an ISIL heavy machine gun, an ISIL recoilless rifle and an ISIL fighting position.
• Near Beiji, two strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed three ISIL fighting positions.
• Near Fallujah, three strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit, destroyed two ISIL mortar systems and suppressed an ISIL tactical unit.
• Near Hit, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL machine gun and an ISIL anti-air artillery piece.
• Near Kirkuk, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL assembly area.
• Near Kisik, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and an ISIL mortar system.
• Near Mosul, five strikes struck three separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed two ISIL rocket rails, an ISIL vehicle and an ISIL fighting position and suppressed an ISIL heavy machine gun.
• Near Qayyarah, four strikes struck three separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed an ISIL mortar system.
• Near Sinjar, a strike suppressed an ISIL mortar position.
• Near Sultan Abdallah, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL assembly area and an ISIL supply cache.
• Near Tal Afar, three strikes destroyed two ISIL tunnel systems and an ISIL front-end loader and denied ISIL access to terrain.

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 on Monday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported on Tuesday.

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 seven strikes in Syria:

• Near Manbij, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed two ISIL fighting positions and an ISIL vehicle.
• Near Mara, six strikes struck four separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed two ISIL fighting positions and two ISIL vehicles.

Strikes in Iraq

Bomber, ground-attack, fighter, and remotely piloted aircraft conducted 18 strikes in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of Iraq’s government:

• Near Baghdadi, a strike destroyed an ISIL mortar position.
• Near Rutbah, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit.
• Near Beiji, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit.
• Near Fallujah, six strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units; destroyed 11 ISIL fighting positions, two ISIL-used bridges, an ISIL bunker and two ISIL heavy machine guns; and damaged a separate ISIL fighting position.
• Near Habbaniyah, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit.
• Near Hit, two strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed four ISIL fighting positions and an ISIL heavy machine gun.
• Near Kirkuk, two strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed an ISIL command and control node, an ISIL assembly area and an ISIL fighting position.
• Near Kisik, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and an ISIL assembly area.
• Near Mosul, two strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and an ISIL weapons storage facility and destroyed an ISIL supply cache.
• Near Sinjar, a strike destroyed an ISIL fighting position and an ISIL 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 group's ability to project terror and conduct operations.

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 which 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 on Sunday.

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

Strikes in Syria

Attack aircraft conducted four strikes in Syria:

• Near Manbij, two strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL fighting position, and an ISIL anti-air artillery system.
• Near Mar’a, two strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed an ISIL fighting position, and an ISIL bomb.

Strikes in Iraq

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

• Near Baghdadi, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed two ISIL weapons caches, an ISIL recoilless rifle, an ISIL bomb factory, and suppressed an ISIL tactical unit.
• Near Huwayjah, a strike destroyed an ISIL tunnel system and an ISIL generator.
• Near Beiji, a strike destroyed three ISIL fighting positions.
• Near Fallujah, five strikes struck three separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed an ISIL heavy machine gun, an ISIL vehicle, an ISIL fighting position, an ISIL bunker, and three ISIL trench systems.
• Near Habbaniyah, two strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL fighting position, an ISIL weapons cache, and an ISIL trench system.
• Near Hit, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL heavy machine gun and an ISIL recoilless rifle.
• Near Kisik, four strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed two ISIL assembly areas, four ISIL improvised explosive devices, an ISIL observation camera and suppressed an ISIL fighting position and an ISIL mortar position.
• Near Mosul, four strikes struck an ISIL modular refinery and an ISIL headquarters and destroyed an ISIL assembly area and two ISIL vehicles and damaged an ISIL vehicle.
• Near Ramadi, a strike struck a large ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL fighting position.
• Near Sinjar, a strike destroyed an ISIL vehicle.
• Near Sultan Abdallah, three strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units, an ISIL bomb and weapons facility and destroyed six ISIL assembly areas, an ISIL mortar system, and an ISIL supply cache.

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 group's ability to project terror and conduct operations.

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)

By Simon Kent.

US Defense Secretary Ash Carter has met with Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary-General Abdullatif al-Zayani and six of his counterparts from the GCC, to discuss the war against the so called Islamic State in Iraq.

The meeting comes ahead of a planned GCC summit this week, which Barack Obama will attend. But underlying the recent meeting were concerns that the GCC (Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Oman and Qatar) were not pulling their weight in the war.

In Iraq, one US frustration was the slowness to commit reconstruction funds, a pressing concern in Ramadi, the Sunni majority city which needs billions of dollars for reconstruction following more than a year of fighting against ISIS.

Carter was allegedly told that defense secretaries in the GCC wanted more assurance that the Iraqi government would be more inclusive of Sunnis in the political process before committing more aid. This is a worrying request since many Sunni sheikhs in Anbar and Salahaddin are already on the government side, while many Sunni politicians lack the appeal of tribal leaders and are widely seen by Sunnis as corrupt.

The US military is now apparently working on partnerships with GCC army Special Forces units, but it is unclear what the aim of such partnerships would be. GCC defense secretaries apparently expressed ongoing concerns about Iran.

(Source: ABC News)

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

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

Strikes in Syria

Attack and ground attack aircraft conducted six strikes in Syria:

• Near Raqqah, a strike destroyed an ISIL bulldozer.
• Near Mara, five strikes struck five separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed two ISIL fighting positions and four ISIL vehicles.

Strikes in Iraq

Attack, fighter and ground attack aircraft conducted 30 strikes in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of Iraq’s government:

• Near Hit, three strikes struck a large ISIL tactical unit and destroyed 18 ISIL boats, an ISIL command and control node and an ISIL weapons cache and denied ISIL access to terrain.
• Near Kisik, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL tunnel system.
• Near Mosul, 21 strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit, 18 ISIL modular oil refineries and two ISIL crude oil stills and destroyed an ISIL assembly area.
• Near Qayyarah, a strike destroyed 33 ISIL boats.
• Near Sultan Abdallah, three strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL assembly area, an ISIL fighting position, an ISIL mortar cache and an ISIL mortar system.
• Near Tal Afar, a strike suppressed an ISIL mortar position.

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.

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 Iraq and Syria yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported on Wednesday.

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

Strikes in Syria

Attack and fighter aircraft conducted two strikes in Syria:

• Near Hawl, a strike destroyed an ISIL fighting position.
• Near Mara, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit.

Strikes in Iraq

Attack, fighter and ground attack aircraft conducted seven strikes in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of Iraq’s government:

• Near Huwayjah, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL assembly area.
• Near Hit, two strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed six ISIL machine gun positions and four ISIL fighting positions.
• Near Mosul, two strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed four ISIL assembly areas and an ISIL fighting position.
• Near Qayyarah, a strike destroyed an ISIL vehicle bomb.
• Near Tal Afar, a strike produced inconclusive results.

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.

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)

By John Lee.

AccuWeather reports that a slow-moving storm system will lead to flash flooding from Iraq and western Iran into Saudi Arabia and Yemen on Wednesday and Thursday.

Rainfall of 12-25 mm will be common with locally higher amounts in the strongest thunderstorms.

Areas such as Baghdad and Basrah will get multiple downpours.

(Source: AccuWeather)

(Flooding in Baghdad, October 2015. Image via Shutterstock)