Iraqi offensive unfolding without U.S. support

The United States and its allies have received no request from Iraq to carry out air strikes in support of Baghdad government troops fighting to recapture Tikrit, the Pentagon said Monday. The Iraqi operation to take back Tikrit from Islamic State jihadists is the largest-scale offensive yet launched by Baghdad and Shiite militia backed by neighboring Iran were playing a key role. It was unclear if Tehran’s role may have been a factor in the U.S.-led coalition’s absence. The assault on IS in Tikrit included Iraqi aircraft but it was unclear if Iranian planes were also involved.

We were aware of the operation before it started but I’m not going to get into the details of what degree of cooperation we conducted before this. We’re tracking it closely.

Pentagon spokesman Colonel Steven Warren

Progress in this battle will affect plans to recapture Mosul further north. An official from the U.S. Central Command said last month the assault on Mosul, the largest city under Islamic State control, could start as early as April but Iraq has declined to confirm that timetable. Other U.S. officials, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity on Monday, suggested the Mosul operation would not likely start until later, possibly in the fall. Monday’s offensive follows several failed attempts to drive the militants out of Tikrit since last June, when Islamic State declared a caliphate in the territories it controls in eastern Syria and northern and western Iraq.

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