U.S. Launches Second Wave Of Airstrikes Against Iraq Militants

The Inquisitr recently reported that the United States launched a wave of airstrikes at Kurdish forces defending Erbil near U.S. operations, dropping two laser-guided bombs on ISIL artillery. Now a second wave has been dropped by U.S. forces, according to The Wall Street Journal.

American officials claim that two additional airstrikes were launched to try to stop the military advances on the Kurdish capitol, Erbil. A drone aircraft operated remotely struck a mortar position controlled by the Islamic state (the ISIS or ISIL). After the first strike, Iraqi militants rushed to the scene. The second drone airstrike came and killed the men, said officials.

Another wave of airstrikes from four F/A-18 aircrafts hit a stationary convoy of seven vehicles and another mortar position close to the capitol. Eight laser-guided bombs in total were dropped on the convoy and mortar.

“The enemy gets a vote,” a senior defense official said. “If they stop, we stop. If they attack we bring down the hammer.”

These airstrikes are the beginning of the United States’ effort to put an end to the Islamic State and Iraq militants taking control of parts of Iraq over the course of the past seven months. President Barack Obama authorized the airstrikes yesterday (Thursday), allowing a laser-guided bomb to strike a mobile artillery piece.

The idea is to repel the ISIS forces and provide aid to the Kurdish people, the Peshmerga, trying to fight back against the Islamic State. The Wall Street Journal reports that the Iraq militants have executed many Iraqi soldiers by beheading, taken control of the nation’s largest dam, and forced thousands of people in religious minorities to the mountains where they are barely able to survive.

According to Yahoo News, U.S. officials were not able to release the names of the strikes and could only reveal that unnamed aircrafts flew off the USS George HW Bush aircraft carrier to release the bombs. Obama claimed that the airstrikes were primarily to defend and protect American military trainers in the northeastern Iraq city.

Secretary of State John Kerry released the following statement about Obama’s decision:

“President Obama has been unequivocal that he will do what is necessary when it’s in our interest to confront ISIL and its threat to the security of the region and to our own security in the long run.”

For more information and breaking news on the U.S. airstrikes and the condition in Iraq, check back with The Inquisitr.

[Image courtesy of The Associated Press]