The United States and partner nations are carrying out the first air strikes against Islamic State targets in Syria, the Pentagon said late Monday, in ongoing operations that mark the opening of a new, far more complicated front in battle against the militants.
“I can confirm that U.S. military and partner nation forces are undertaking military action against ISIL terrorists in Syria using a mix of fighter, bomber and Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles,” Rear Admiral John Kirby, Pentagon press secretary, said in a statement. “Given that these operations are ongoing, we are not in a position to provide additional details at this time.”
ABC News reported that the fighters included B-1 bombers and for the first time in combat history, the controversial stealth F-22 Raptor.
At least 30 air strikes hit Islamic State targets in Syria by Tuesday morning, according to initial reports released.
The U.S. military said on Tuesday its partners in air strikes against Islamic State militants in Syria included Jordan, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
In a CENTCOM statement, it added the U.S. military had taken action to disrupt “imminent attack” against the U.S. and Western interests by “seasoned Al-Qaida veterans” who had established a safe haven in Syria. “These strikes were undertaken only by U.S. assets,” it said.
The statement said the U.S. had launched strikes from warships in international waters in the Red Sea and the North Arabian Gulf.
It said Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi and the UAE had “also participated in or supported the air strikes against (Islamic State) targets. All aircraft safely exited the strike areas,” it said.Up to 20 locations have been targeted, many of which are in the Islamic State stronghold of Raqqa in northern Syria.
An Islamic State fighter said on Tuesday the group will respond to U.S.-led air strikes inside Syria and blamed Saudi Arabia for allowing them to happen.
“These attacks will be answered. The sons of Saloul are the ones who are to be blamed. It happened because of them,” he told Reuters, using a derogatory term for Saudi Arabia’s royal Saudi family.
Obama authorized air strikes against Islamic State targets in Syria almost two weeks ago and was briefed on U.S. war plans last week by the U.S. military’s Central Command. But Obama held off on approving those plans as diplomats pushed ahead with efforts to forge a coalition.
Earlier, Reuters reported that according to U.S. officials, President Barack Obama wants some Arab participation in air strikes against the Islamic State in order to expand the campaign to Syria.
The two officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Arab participation was essential for Obama as he looked to expand the American campaign of air strikes to Syria from Iraq, where the U.S. military has already carried out 190 strikes as of Monday.
Several Arab countries have offered to join the United States in air strikes against Islamic State targets, a senior U.S. official told reporters on Sept. 14.
On Monday, the U.S. rejected a proposal floated by Iranian officials in which Tehran would cooperate in the fight against Islamic State forces in exchange for flexibility on its nuclear program.
US military partner nation forces have begun striking ISIL targets in Syria using mix of fighters, bombers and Tomahawk missiles.
— Rear Adm. John Kirby (@PentagonPresSec) September 23, 2014