Allied strikes continue against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria

US and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State, conducting 20 strikes consisting of 30 engagements in Syria and Iraq, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.

Officials reported details of the most recent strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports. The details are listed below.

Strikes in Syria

— On March 8 near Abu Kamal, coalition military forces conducted two strikes consisting of two engagements, destroying an Islamic State supply route and an unmanned aerial vehicle.

— On March 7 near Abu Kamal, coalition military forces conducted two strikes consisting of two engagements against targets, destroying four motorcycles.

Strikes in Iraq

There were no reported strikes conducted in Iraq on March 8.

On March 7 near Qayyarah, coalition military forces conducted a strike consisting of one engagement, destroying a tunnel.

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.

We understand that 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 vehicle is one strike, but so is multiple aircraft delivering dozens of weapons against a group of 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.