2015-02-09 The strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to eliminate the ISIL terrorist group and the threat they pose to Iraq, Syria, the region, and the wider international community.
The destruction of ISIL targets in Syria and Iraq further limits the terrorist group’s ability to project terror and conduct operations.
Coalition nations which have conducted airstrikes in Iraq include the U.S., Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.
Coalition nations which have conducted airstrikes in Syria include the U.S., Bahrain, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
U.S. Central Command Public Affairs
2/6/15
This airstrike has been identified as delivered by the Jordanian Air Force.
In a story published by Aljazeera on February 8, 2015:
Jordan has conducted 56 raids in three days of air strikes targeting a stronghold of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group, the country’s air force commander has said.
The country launched the bombing raids on the Syrian city of Raqqa, an ISIL stronghold, on Thursday after ISIL released video showing the killing of a Jordanian pilot held hostage by the group.
“We achieved what we aimed at. We destroyed logistics centres, arms depots and targeted hideouts of their fighters,” General Mansour al-Jbour, the head of the Jordanian airf orce, said on Sunday.
Jbour said that 20 percent of the total sorties against the armed group made by the US-led coalition had been conducted by Jordan.
The sorties have led to the “degrading” of nearly 20 percent of the group’s capabilities, he said.
“We are determined to wipe them from the face of the Earth.”
ISIL recently released a video showing them burning the Jordanian pilot, Moaz al-Kassasbeh, to death while he was trapped in a cage.
In comments published on Saturday, Hussein al-Majali, Jordan’s interior minister, told the state-run al-Rai newspaper that his country would go after ISIL fighters “wherever they are”.
And the King of Jordan quoted Clint Eastwood in declaring his intentions versus ISIS after the burning of the Jordanian pilot.
Members of the House Armed Services Committee met with Jordan’s King Abdullah Tuesday not long after news broke that ISIS had burned to death a Jordanian pilot captured in the fight against the terrorist group.
In a private session with lawmakers, the king showed an extraordinary measure of anger — anger which he expressed by citing American movie icon Clint Eastwood.
“He said there is going to be retribution like ISIS hasn’t seen,” said Republican Rep. Duncan Hunter Jr., a Marine Corps veteran of two tours in Iraq and one in Afghanistan, who was in the meeting with the king.
“He mentioned ‘Unforgiven’ and he mentioned Clint Eastwood, and he actually quoted a part of the movie.”
Hunter would not say which part of “Unforgiven” the king quoted, but noted it was where Eastwood’s character describes how he is going to deliver his retribution.
“He’s angry,” Hunter said of the king.
“They’re starting more sorties tomorrow than they’ve ever had. They’re starting tomorrow.
And he said, ‘The only problem we’re going to have is running out of fuel and bullets.’
The following is the unofficial translation of the statement issued by the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army (JAF) mourning pilot Muath Kasasbeh, who was killed by the so-called Islamic State:
‘“Among the Believers are men who have been true to their covenant with Allah. Of them some have completed their vow to the extreme, and some still wait: but they have never changed [their determination] in the least.’
Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) says: ‘The most honorable death is to fall a martyr.’
Praise to Allah, who is the only immortal, whilst He has appointed a term for each of His creatures: When their term is reached, not an hour can they cause delay, nor (an hour) can they advance.
Since the first moment 1st Lt. Muath Kasasbeh fell captive to the cowardly terrorist organization, JAF, supported by various state agencies, has exerted relentless efforts to free him from the forces of evil and darkness.
But this criminal gang insisted to put a tragic end to his life, an end condemned by all religions. JAF announces the assassination of our brave pilot on January 3, 2015 — one month ago — to be chosen by Allah as a martyr in heaven.
As JAF announces the martyrdom of the brave pilot, Muath Kasasbeh, pray to Allah to accept him in the company of those on whom is the grace of Allah — the prophets, the sincere lovers of truth, the martyrs and the righteous.
As JAF mourns the brave pilot, it asserts that his spilled blood will be avenged and the punishment that will be inflicted on the tyrants of Earth who assassinated Muath will be proportionate to the magnitude of the tragedy of all Jordanians.
And soon will the unjust assailants know what vicissitudes their affairs will take.”