US and coalition military forces continued to attack the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, conducting 43 strikes consisting of 47 engagements, 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
In Syria, coalition military forces conducted 40 strikes consisting of 40 engagements against targets:
— Near Raqqa, 40 strikes engaged 11 tactical units and destroyed 24 fighting positons, four logistics node, two vehicles, an ISIS communication line, a mortar system, a command-and-control node and suppressed four fighting positions.
Strikes in Iraq
In Iraq, coalition military forces conducted three strikes consisting of seven engagements against ISIS targets:
— Near Qaim, a strike destroyed a vehicle-borne bomb facility.
— Near Bashir, a strike engaged an IS tactical unit and destroyed a command-and-control node.
— Near Rawah, a strike destroyed a vehicle-borne bomb.
Additional Strikes
Additionally, 34 strikes consisting of 46 engagements were conducted in Syria on Aug. 23 and Sept.3-7 that closed within the last 24 hours:
— On Aug. 23, near Raqqa, a strike suppressed a fighting position.
— On Sept. 3, near Raqqa, two strikes destroyed two command-and-control nodes, a logistics node, a fighting position and suppressed a fighting position.
— On Sept. 4, near Raqqa, two strikes destroyed four fighting positions.
— On Sept. 5, near Raqqa, a strike destroyed a fighting position.
— On Sept. 6, near Raqqa, two strikes engaged a tactical unit and destroyed two fighting positions and a command-and-control node.
— On Sept. 7, near Abu Kamal, a strike destroyed an ISIS tactical unit and a vehicle.
— On Sept. 7, near Dayr Az Zawr, three strikes engaged two tactical units and destroyed two vehicles and a communication line.
— On Sept. 7, near Raqqa, 22 strikes engaged seven tactical units and destroyed 15 fighting positions, 15 vehicles, four vehicle-borne bombs and suppressed four fighting positions.
Part of Operation Inherent Resolve
These strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to destroy Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. The destruction of ISIS targets in Iraq and Syria also further limits the group’s ability to project terror and conduct external operations throughout the region and the rest of the world, task force officials said.
The list above contains all strikes conducted by fighter, attack, bomber, rotary-wing or remotely piloted aircraft; rocket-propelled artillery; and some ground-based tactical artillery when fired on planned targets, officials noted.
Ground-based artillery fired in counterfire or in fire support to maneuver roles is not classified as a strike, they added. A strike, as defined by the coalition, refers to one or more kinetic engagements that occur in roughly the same geographic location to produce a single or cumulative effect.
For example, task force officials explained, a single aircraft delivering a single weapon against a lone IS vehicle is one strike, but so is multiple aircraft delivering dozens of weapons against a group of IS-held buildings and weapon systems in a compound, having the cumulative effect of making that facility harder or impossible to use. Strike assessments are based on initial reports and may be refined, officials said.
