U.S., partners conduct nine air strikes against Islamic State

The United States and its coalition partners conducted four air strikes against Islamic State militants in Syria and five in Iraq on Sunday and Monday, according to the U.S. military. In a statement on Monday, the Combined Joint Task Forceleading the air operations said one strike near Dayr az Zawr in Syria hit a crude oil collection point. The others, near Kobani, destroyed a bunker and vehicle, and hit a tactical unit. In Iraq, air strikes near Al Asad, Bayji and Kirkuk hit tactical units, checkpoints, fighting positions, and boats and vehicles. Strikes near Mosul destroyed an Islamic State fighting position while near Rawah they hit a compound, according to the statement. Meanwhile, the U.S. said it and its allies have received no request from Iraq to carry out air strikes in support of Baghdad government troops fighting to recapture Tikrit.

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

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. 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.

Middle East tikrit