While Russia’s foray into Syria has garnered world headlines, the United States and its coalition partners continue to attack the Islamic State daily, with 25 airstrikes reported Thursday.
The Defense Department said there were eight strikes in Syria against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, known as ISIL or ISIS, and 17 more strikes in Iraq. The air campaign is now in its second year.
Until several days ago, jets from the now San Diego-bound USS Theodore Roosevelt were among the aircraft and drones taking part in the attacks, accounting for 1,800 combat sorties.
Here’s a list of Thursday’s targets, based on initial reports by pilots:
Airstrikes in Syria
- Near Bab, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed two ISIL vehicles and an ISIL tactical vehicle and damaged an ISIL excavator.
- Near Hawl, two strikes destroyed an ISIL crude oil collection point and an ISIL oil pump.
- Near Raqqah, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL vehicle.
- Near Manbij, a strike destroyed an ISIL artillery piece.
- Near Tal Jibbin, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL fighting position.
- Near Washiyah, two strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL vehicle, an ISIL tactical vehicle and an ISIL artillery piece.
Airstrikes in Iraq
- Near Baghdadi, three strikes destroyed an ISIL weapons cache and denied ISIL access to tactical terrain.
- Near Huwayjah, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit.
- Near Beiji, two strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL explosives cache.
- Near Habbaniyah, a strike destroyed an ISIL tactical vehicle.
- Near Hit, a strike destroyed an ISIL excavator.
- Near Kisik, a strike destroyed an ISIL fighting position.
- Near Ramadi, four strikes struck three separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed an ISIL heavy machine gun position, an ISIL mortar position, an ISIL fighting position and two ISIL tactical vehicles.
- Near Sinjar, four strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed 21 ISIL fighting positions and five ISIL staging areas.
The strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, which involves a coalition of nations including the United States, Australia, Canada, France, Jordan, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Bahrain, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.
