US aircraft officially strike IS stronghold in Syria

CNN reported that on the morning of September 23, US warplanes began conducting airstrikes against the Islamic State (IS) stronghold in the Syrian city of Raqqa, marking the beginning of the anti-terrorism campaign launched by US President Barack Obama in early September.

US aircraft strike IS in Iraq. Photo: Jpupdates

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said the US and allied militaries used fighter jets, bombers and Tomahawk missiles in airstrikes against IS militants but did not say where the attacks were carried out.

A senior US military official said a series of Tomahawk missiles were launched from the sea, initiating the attack, followed by fighter jets and bombers carrying out airstrikes.

The official said the goal of this attack was to carry out a "preemptive strike" in a decisive, fast and fierce manner.

With this airstrike, the US has entered the conflict in Syria at a higher level. Previously, Mr. Obama had opposed conducting military operations in Syria. However, the context of the Islamic State force growing strongly in Syria and Iraq requires Mr. Obama to take a more drastic move.

On September 10, in a speech, President Obama declared: “I want to be clear: We will hunt down terrorists who threaten our country, wherever they are. That means I will not hesitate to conduct military operations against ISIS in Syria and Iraq. The core principle of my presidency is: If you threaten America, you will not have safe haven.”

For weeks, US intelligence and military experts have been working around the clock to identify targets and analyze the risks of bombing Syria.

Last week, US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel told the House Armed Services Committee that he and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Martin Dempsey had agreed on a plan to attack IS in Syria.

According to VOV