Officials Release Details of Latest Strikes in Syria, Iraq

U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria yesterday, conducting 15 strikes consisting of 28 engagements, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.

Photo Details / Download Hi-Res

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 nine strikes consisting of 13 engagements against ISIS targets:

-- Near Abu Kamal, two strikes destroyed four ISIS oil tankers.

-- Near Dayr Az Zawr, two strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed four oil storage tanks and a vehicle.

-- Near Raqqa, five strikes engaged four ISIS tactical units, destroyed three fighting positions and an anti-air artillery system and damaged a supply route.

Strikes in Iraq

In Iraq, coalition military forces conducted six strikes consisting of 15 engagements against ISIS targets:

-- Near Huwayjah, a strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed a supply cache.

-- Near Mosul, a strike suppressed an ISIS tactical unit.

-- Near Qaim, a strike destroyed two ISIS vehicles and a vehicle-borne-bomb factory.

-- Near Qayyarah, two strikes destroyed an ISIS boat and a vehicle.

-- Near Rawah, a strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed an ISIS-held building.

Previous Strikes

Additionally, 16 strikes were conducted in Syria and Iraq from July 19-20 that closed within the last 24 hours.

-- On July 19, near Raqqa, Syria, two strikes destroyed two ISIS fighting positions and a storage facility and suppressed a mortar system.

-- On July 20, near Dayr Az Zawr, Syria, a strike destroyed nine ISIS oil refinement stills.

-- On July 20, near Raqqa, Syria, 12 strikes engaged 10 ISIS tactical units and destroyed two fighting positions and a tunnel entrance.

-- On July 20, near Kisik, Iraq, a strike suppressed two ISIS tactical units.

Part of Operation Inherent Resolve

These strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to destroy ISIS 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 ISIS vehicle is one strike, but so is multiple aircraft delivering dozens of weapons against a group of ISIS-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.

The task force does not report the number or type of aircraft employed in a strike, the number of munitions dropped in each strike, or the number of individual munition impact points against a target.

Photo Details / Download Hi-Res