US, Gulf States, Jordan in First-Time Strikes in Syria: US Official

Local Editor

 US and Arab warplanes targeted militants of the so-called "Daesh" [ISIL] group in eastern Syria early Tuesday, opening a new front in the fight against the terrorist group, US war officials said.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Bahrain were involved in US air strikes launched in Syria, an American official said.

Qatar played a supporting role in the air strikes, the official added.

The United States and Arab allies unleashed bombs and Tomahawk cruise missiles on so-called "Daesh" [ISIL] targets in eastern Syria early Tuesday, opening a new front in the fight against the extremist group, according to the official. 

US Pentagon spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby said in a statement: "I can confirm that US military and partner nation forces are undertaking military action against ISIL "terrorists" in Syria using a mix of fighter, bomber and Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles." 

The decision to conduct the air strikes was undertaken on Monday by the head of US Central Command, General Lloyd Austin, "under authorization granted him by the commander in chief," Kirby said.

"We will provide more details later as operationally appropriate,"  he said.

The strikes -- including Tomahawk missiles fired from naval warships -- came less than two weeks after US President Barack Obama warned that he had approved an expansion of the campaign against the Daesh group to include action in Syria.

US F-22 fighter jets, America's most sophisticated warplane, took part in the raids as well -- the first combat mission for the costly aircraft, according to the Wall Street Journal and ABC News.

The strikes focused on Daesh positions in Raqa, a stronghold for the extremists, according to the New York Times and other media, citing US officials. Other targets struck were along the Iraq-Syria border, the newspaper said.

Under Obama's orders, US warplanes began air strikes against Daesh targets in Iraq on August 8, with about 190 raids carried out in the country.
Obama's strategy also calls for American air power combined with training and arming so-called "moderate" rebel fighters in Syria. 

France is the only country to have joined the US air strikes in Iraq.

Meanwhile, Obama's approach has sparked criticism in Washington and countries in the Middle East.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team