'This is only the beginning': Pentagon reveal how dozens of smart bombs have blitzed ISIS in Syria and tell terror group more missiles are on their way 

  • Fanatics' de facto capital Raqqa hit by wave after wave of missiles and bombs during the first U.S. airstrikes in Syria
  • Group of fighter jets from the Royal Bahrain Air Force also took part in coordinated attacks on Islamic State targets
  • 20 militants reported dead already, with images released by U.S. military showing huge damage to ISIS-held locations
  • Saudi Arabia, UAE and Jordan also 'participated' in the strikes - though their exact involvement is not yet known 
  • Strikes saw first combat for $139 million F-22 fighter jets - with Tomahawk missiles also launched from Naval vessels
  • U.S. also carried out separate strikes on Al Qaeda group Khorasan - who were planning 'imminent attack' on the West
  • Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was warned in advance about strikes, but is not thought to have had any input 

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The U.S. and Arab strikes on militant targets in Syria overnight were 'only the beginning' of a 'credible and sustainable, persistent' coalition effort to degrade and ultimately destroy ISIS militants and other extremist groups, the American military has said.

The airstrikes - which employed U.S. Tomahawk missiles, B1 bombers, F16, F18 and F22 strike fighters and drones - was backed by support from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan and the UAE - a coalition of nations that has agreed to assist with the destruction of ISIS.

There was also a separate U.S. attack on a different band of Islamist militants in Syria - the mysterious Al Qaeda-affiliated Khorasan Group, who are said to have been planning an 'imminent attack' on a Western target.

'I can tell you that last night's strikes were only the beginning,' Rear Admiral John Kirby, a Pentagon spokesman, told reporters. He said the strikes had been 'very successful' and would continue, without going into further detail on future operational plans.

Another military spokesman, Lieutenant General William Mayville Jr., said that Arab nations - including Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates - took part in the second and third waves of attacks. He said the Arab countries' actions ranged from combat air patrols to strikes on targets.

Earlier U.S. President Barack Obama said the participation of the five Arab nations 'makes it clear to the world this is not America's fight alone.'

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Pinpoint: An ISIS vehicle storage area near Abu Kamel in Syria is destroyed by satellite guided munitions in the this video released by the Pentagon

Reduced to rubble: The remains of the vehicle storage area are scene in this image after the smoke has cleared 

Reduced to rubble: The remains of the vehicle storage area are scene in this image after the smoke has cleared 

Levelled: A storage facility near Abu Kamel in Syria was also destroyed in the first round of U.S. strikes

Levelled: A storage facility near Abu Kamel in Syria was also destroyed in the first round of U.S. strikes

Heartland: The airstrikes were centred around ISIS's centre of power in Raqqah and across the middle of Syria

Heartland: The airstrikes were centred around ISIS's centre of power in Raqqah and across the middle of Syria

Cluster bombs: An in-flight camera shows satellite guided cluster bombs destroying an ISIS vehicle staging post near Abu Kamel last night
Cluster bombs: An in-flight camera shows satellite guided cluster bombs destroying an ISIS vehicle staging post near Abu Kamel last night
Cluster bombs: An in-flight camera shows satellite guided cluster bombs destroying an ISIS vehicle staging post near Abu Kamel last night

Cluster bombs: An in-flight camera shows satellite guided cluster bombs destroying an ISIS vehicle staging post near Abu Kamel last night

Joint strikes: Aircraft from the Saudi Arabian air force were among those in the coalition supporting the airstrikes. A burning ISIS storage facility is seen near the town of Abu Kamel 

Joint strikes: Aircraft from the Saudi Arabian air force were among those in the coalition supporting the airstrikes. A burning ISIS storage facility is seen near the town of Abu Kamel 

Damaged: This Pentagon image (before air strike left, and after on the right) shows the damage inflicted on a ISIS Finance center in Raqqa, Syria after it was hit by a tomahawk missile 

Damaged: This Pentagon image (before air strike left, and after on the right) shows the damage inflicted on a ISIS Finance center in Raqqa, Syria after it was hit by a tomahawk missile 

Destroyed: This Pentagon image shows an ISIS barracks near the city of Raqqa in Syria. The image on the right shows it after it was hit by F22 Raptors in the first combat role for the aircraft

Rubble: Syrians check a damaged house, reportedly hit by US-led coalition air strikes, in the village of Kfar Derian in the western Aleppo province 

Rubble: Syrians check a damaged house, reportedly hit by US-led coalition air strikes, in the village of Kfar Derian in the western Aleppo province 

Destroyed: The remains of a house in a village near Aleppo are inspected after being 

Destroyed: The remains of a house in a village near Aleppo are inspected after being 

Residents inspect damaged buildings in what activists say was a U.S. strike, in Kfredrian, Idlib province 

Residents inspect damaged buildings in what activists say was a U.S. strike, in Kfredrian, Idlib province 

Coalition: President Obama today met officials from the Arab countries that joined the coalition for the strikes. Included in the meeting are representatives from Jordan, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and Iraq

Coalition: President Obama today met officials from the Arab countries that joined the coalition for the strikes. Included in the meeting are representatives from Jordan, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and Iraq

Speech: At a press conference this afternoon, Lieutenant General William Mayville Jr. said that Arab nations, including Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, took part in the second and third waves of attacks in Islamic State targets

Speech: At a press conference this afternoon, Lieutenant General William Mayville Jr. said that Arab nations, including Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, took part in the second and third waves of attacks in Islamic State targets

Attack: The  U.S. has released footage of Tomahawk missiles being fired from the USS Arleigh Burke - a guided missile destroyer stationed in the Red Sea

Attack: The  U.S. has released footage of Tomahawk missiles being fired from the USS Arleigh Burke - a guided missile destroyer stationed in the Red Sea

Blast: Video emerged early this morning on Syrian Facebook pages showing  the US-led airstrikes in Syria against Islamic State targets in and around the city of Raqqa

Blast: Video emerged early this morning on Syrian Facebook pages showing the US-led airstrikes in Syria against Islamic State targets in and around the city of Raqqa

Fire: The attacks - described as 'shock without awe' - began in the early hours of this morning local time

Fire: The attacks - described as 'shock without awe' - began in the early hours of this morning local time

Flash: A Tomahawk missile is fired from the USS Arleigh Burke warship towards ISIS targets in Syria
In this handout image provided by the U.S. Navy, the guided-missile cruiser USS Philippine Sea is seen.

Flash: A Tomahawk missile is fired from the USS Arleigh Burke warship towards ISIS targets in Syria

Plans: Sailors stand watch on the bridge of USS Philippine Sea while Tomahawk cruise missiles are launched from the guided-missile cruiser  towards ISIS targets in northern Syria

Plans: Sailors stand watch on the bridge of USS Philippine Sea while Tomahawk cruise missiles are launched from the guided-missile cruiser towards ISIS targets in northern Syria

Pride: In a press conference this afternoon, U.S. President Barack Obama said the participation of five Arab nations in airstrikes against ISIS and Al Qaeda militants in Syria made it clear to the world 'this is not America's fight alone.' He added that the U.S. is 'proud to stand shoulder-to-shoulder' with the Arab nations

Speaking a press conference just hours after the overnight raids, Obama said the joint fight against ISIS will take time - but remains vital to the security of the United States, the Middle East and the rest of the world. 

He said it was not possible to know how long U.S.-led operations against Islamic State militants in Syria and Iraq will last. In a letter to Congress following the air strikes, Obama said: 'It is not possible to know the duration of these deployments and operations.

'I will continue to direct such additional measures as necessary to protect and secure U.S. citizens and our interests against the threat posed by ISIL,' using another name for Islamic State.

UN CHIEF BACKS AIRSTRIKES 

The strikes target extremists who pose a serious threat to international peace and security, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon saidtoday.

'I'm aware that today's strikes were not carried out at the direct request of the Syrian government but I note that the government was informed beforehand,' Ban said at a joint news conference with French President Francois Hollande.

'I also note that the strikes took place in areas no longer under the effective control of that government,' he added.

'It is undeniable and the subject of broad international consensus that these extremist groups pose an immediate threat to international peace and security.'

He added that the U.S. is 'proud to stand shoulder-to-shoulder' with the Arab nations in conducting the strikes. 

Obama's comments came after America's top military officer Army General Martin Dempsey said the overnight airstrikes will have successfully shown the terror group that its attacks will not go unanswered, and that even strongholds such as the city of Raqqa do not represent a 'safe haven'.

Air strikes were launched from land bases in the Middle East, while the F18s were launched from the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush, which is in the Persian Gulf.

Tomahawks were fired from the USS Arleigh Burke, a guided missile destroyer in the Red Sea.

The first wave of strikes lasted for 90 minutes and one video on social media showed blasts across Raqqa - the de facto capital of the Islamic state.

Among the targets which reports from social media claimed had been hit were the house of the governor of Raqqa, the national hospital and the Equestrian Club.

One account said at least 20 of the militant group's fighters had been killed in the strikes, with other sources saying 'dozens' were dead.

Separate ISIS targets were hit in Deir al-Zor province in the north of Syria, where the terrorist group has also gained vast swaths of territory. 

'We wanted to make sure that ISIL knew they have no safe haven, and we certainly achieved that,' Army General. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in an interview with American reporters. ISIL is an alternate acronym for ISIS commonly used by U.S. officials.

America said five Arab nations either participated in the airstrikes or provided unspecified support. They were Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates. 

Operation: The airstrikes were part of a huge coordinated effort to destroy ISIS targets from the air and sea. The U.S. also carried out separate hits on a mysterious group of militants many consider an even greater threat to the West - a little known band of 'seasoned Al Qaeda veterans' known as the Khorasan Group

Operation: The airstrikes were part of a huge coordinated effort to destroy ISIS targets from the air and sea. The U.S. also carried out separate hits on a mysterious group of militants many consider an even greater threat to the West - a little known band of 'seasoned Al Qaeda veterans' known as the Khorasan Group

Awaiting orders: An F/A-18E Super Hornet and an F/A-18F Super Hornet prepare to launch from the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush

Awaiting orders: An F/A-18E Super Hornet and an F/A-18F Super Hornet prepare to launch from the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush

Ready: An F/A-18C Hornet  prepares to launch from the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush

Ready: An F/A-18C Hornet  prepares to launch from the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush

Littered: A man inspects the remains of what Islamist State militants say was a U.S. drone which crashed into a communication tower in Raqqa overnight

Littered: A man inspects the remains of what Islamist State militants say was a U.S. drone which crashed into a communication tower in Raqqa overnight

Syrian President Bashar Assad pictured meeting with Faleh al-Fayyad - the Iraqi National Security Advisor and envoy of the Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi - today

Syrian President Bashar Assad pictured meeting with Faleh al-Fayyad - the Iraqi National Security Advisor and envoy of the Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi - today

Conference: Syrian President Bashar Assad in conversation with Faleh al-Fayyad - the Iraqi National Security Advisor

Conference: Syrian President Bashar Assad in conversation with Faleh al-Fayyad - the Iraqi National Security Advisor

FULL DETAILS OF THE AIRSTRIKES 

Countries participating: U.S., Bahrain, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates.

Targets: Islamic State fighters, training compounds, headquarters and command and control facilities, storage facilities, a finance center, supply trucks and armed vehicles in the vicinity of Raqqa, Dayr az Zawr, Al-Hasakah and Abu Kamal.

U.S. missiles: 47 Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles launched from the USS Arleigh Burke and USS Philippine Sea, operating from international waters in the Red Sea and North Arabian Gulf.

U.S. aircraft: Air Force B-1 bombers, F-15E attack planes, F-16 fighters and F-22 fighters; Navy F/A-18 fighters; two types of drone aircraft.

Other strikes: The U.S. alone also conducted eight strikes against the al-Qaida-affiliated Khorasan Group west of Aleppo, including training camps, an explosives and munitions production facility, a communication building and command-and-control facilities. 

Dempsey said the role of the five Arab nations in the airstrikes was indispensable to the U.S. goal of showing that the battle to degrade and defeat the Islamic State group is not just a U.S. fight. 

'I can't overstate' the importance of the Arab role, he said, calling it an unprecedented coalition with Arab states and said the partnering has set the stage for a broader international campaign against the extremists.

Dempsey said the five Arab nations' agreement to join in the airstrikes came together quickly; as recently as Sunday but did not specify exactly what role each nation played overnight. 

He told reporters that more Arab participation was needed before President Barack Obama would sign off on the strategic air campaign.  

The U.S. also carried out separate airstrikes against Al Qaeda-affiliated extremists Khorasan in Aleppo and Idlib, following intelligence that the group were planning an 'imminent attack' against Western interests.

The U.S. said at least 30 fighters died, along with eight civilians, including children, in Aleppo and Idlib.

Khorasan are a totally separate group to ISIS and, although little is known of their origins, they are understood to be made up of 'seasoned al Qaeda veterans'.

Lieutenant General William Mayville, the Pentagon's director of operations, said Tomahawk cruise missiles fired from U.S. warships in the region were used to hit the group's compounds, workshops and training grounds around the city of Aleppo.

'Intelligence reports indicated that the Khorasan Group was in the final stages of plans to execute attacks against Western targets and potentially the U.S. homeland,' he said.

It is understood that the group's aim is not to fight against Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, nor does it hope to acquire vast swaths of land like ISIS.

Instead Khorasan targets the thousands of young Western Muslims who have travelled to fight in Syria in recent months - many of whom have retained their passports and have made the journey without the knowledge of their home governments.

Khorasan's plan is to recruit and train this fighters not to carry out attacks in the Middle East, but to return to their home countries and commit catastrophic acts of terror there. It is understood that once such attack was 'imminent' which led to the U.S. targeting the group in air strikes overnight.

James Clapper, the U.S. Director of National Intelligence, said: 'In terms of threat to the homeland, Khorasan may pose as much of a danger as the Islamic State.' 

Destroyed: People inspect a shop damaged after a U.S. drone crashed into a communication station in Raqqa in the early hours of this morning, according to ISIS fighters

Destroyed: People inspect a shop damaged after a U.S. drone crashed into a communication station in Raqqa in the early hours of this morning, according to ISIS fighters

Debris: A van loaded with the remains of the alleged U.S. drone is seen inside the city of Raqqa this morning

Debris: A van loaded with the remains of the alleged U.S. drone is seen inside the city of Raqqa this morning

The remains of the alleged drone was packed with wires and circuit boards with English-language safety labels

The remains of the alleged drone was packed with wires and circuit boards with English-language safety labels

Fighters from the Islamic State group load a van with parts that they said was a US drone that crashed into a communications tower in Raqqa early on September 23, 2014. A US-led coalition on carried out its first air strikes and missile attacks against jihadist positions in Syria, with Damascus saying it had been informed by Washington before the operation began.  AFP PHOTO/RMC/STRSTR/AFP/Getty Images
Fighters from the Islamic State (IS) group load a van with parts that they said was a US drone that crashed into a communications tower in the Syrian city of Raqqa early on September 23, 2014. A US-led coalition on carried out its first air strikes and missile attacks against jihadist positions in Syria, with Damascus saying it had been informed by Washington before the operation began.  AFP PHOTO/RMC/STRSTR/AFP/Getty Images

Analysis: ISIS fighters (left) load parts of the alleged U.S drone they say crashed in Raqqa last night into a van

Pentagon press secretary Rear Admiral John Kirby said the decision to launch the strikes was made on Monday, only hours before US Air Force and Navy pilots were given their missions and targets. 

Kirby said the strikes were ordered by Army General Lloyd Austin, the commander of US forces in the Middle East and South Asia 'under authorisation granted to him by the commander in chief'. 

The first strikes began around 8:30 p.m. EDT - 1.30am in the UK and 4.30am in Syria - but the operation was expected to continue for several more hours, according to one U.S. official. 

This morning British Prime Minister David Cameron released a statement saying he supported the strikes against ISIS by the U.S. and allies, and will now discuss what contribution the UK can make.

Kirby did not name the partner nations participating in the operation but they are now known to be the five Gulf nations and Jordan.

All of them are majority Sunni, the same branch of Islam as ISIS. Britain and France were not involved in the strikes. 

Official: Kirby said the military and its partners are attacking with a mix of fighter jets, bombers and Tomahawk cruise missiles fired from ships in the region

Official: Kirby said the military and its partners are attacking with a mix of fighter jets, bombers and Tomahawk cruise missiles fired from ships in the region

Crashed: An ISIS militant holds a piece of what the group claims is a US drone that fell to earth after colliding with a communications tower in  Raqqa early this morning

Crashed: An ISIS militant holds a piece of what the group claims is a US drone that fell to earth after colliding with a communications tower in Raqqa early this morning

ISIS fighters pray at the spot where the jihadist group said a US drone crashed into a communications tower

ISIS fighters pray at the spot where the jihadist group said a US drone crashed into a communications tower

Target: With the aid of Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, the U.S. chose to strike the ISIS-held Syrian city of Raqqa (pictured) first late Monday and into Tuesday

Target: With the aid of Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, the U.S. chose to strike the ISIS-held Syrian city of Raqqa (pictured) first late Monday and into Tuesday

Propaganda: News of the airstrikes came as ISIS released a second video (pictured) featuring British hostage John Cantlie in which he criticises preparations for U.S-led attacks on them

Propaganda: News of the airstrikes came as ISIS released a second video (pictured) featuring British hostage John Cantlie in which he criticises preparations for U.S-led attacks on them

Second release: In the five-minute scripted video, Cantlie suggests Barack Obama, long careful to avoid the sort of conflicts his predecessor George Bush pursued, is being sucked into an 'unwinnable war'

Second release: In the five-minute scripted video, Cantlie suggests Barack Obama, long careful to avoid the sort of conflicts his predecessor George Bush pursued, is being sucked into an 'unwinnable war'

WHY THE NEWLY-DEPLOYED F-22 IS CONSIDERED KEY TO THE U.S. AIR FORCE'S TACTICAL POWER

The F-22 Raptor is the U.S. Air Force's newest fighter aircraft - and comes with the very latest equipment to render its agility, stealth and 'war fighting' capabilities second to none.

The Advanced Tactical Fighter first entered the Demonstration and Validation phase in 1986, with prototypes completing test flights in 1990.

Over the next 15 years the aircraft was slowly developed, tested and improved, before finally being declared ready for combat in 2005.

The U.S. Air Force settled on a final procurement tally of 187 fighters in 2009 - the last of which was delivered in 2012.

Since then, due to the high costs involved, the main manufacturing contractors Lockhead Martin and Boeing have ceased production of the fighter.

The aircraft was designed primarily as an air superiority fighter, but has additional capabilities including ground attack, electronic warfare, and signals intelligence roles.

Despite the protracted development as well as operational issues - including pilots losing consciousness at the controls - the U.S. Air Force considers the F-22 critical to its tactical air power. It has also described the F-22 as unmatched by any known or projected fighter.

 News of the airstrikes comes as ISIS' highly-organized press office released a second propaganda video appearing to feature captured British hostage John Cantlie.

The journalist - wearing a Guantanamo Bay-style orange jumpsuit - is filmed questioning America's preparation for attacks on ISIS, and compares the 'unwinnable' conflict to the Vietnam War.

In the five-minute scripted video, Cantlie suggests Barack Obama, long careful to avoid the sort of conflicts his predecessor George Bush pursued, is being sucked into an 'unwinnable war'.

'The president once called George Bush's Iraq conflict a 'dumb war', and couldn't wait to distance America from it when he came into power. Now he's being inextricably drawn back in,' Cantlie says.

Military officials have said the U.S. would target militants' command and control centers, re-supply facilities, training camps and other key logistical sites. 

An anti-militant media collective called 'Raqqa is being silently slaughtered' said among the targets were Islamic State buildings used as the group's headquarters, and the Brigade 93, a Syrian army base that the militants recently seized.

Other airstrikes targeted the town of Tabqa and Tel Abyad in Raqqa province, it said. Their claims could not be independently verified.  

According to ABC News' Luis Martinez, the stealth F-22 Raptor fighter jet saw its first combat ever with the Raqqa strikes.

The Syrian government of Bashar al-Assad was said to have been 'informed' of the strikes, but not asked for authorisation. 

Syria's Foreign Ministry told the Associated Press that the U.S. informed Syria's envoy to the U.N. that 'strikes will be launched against the terrorist Daesh group in Raqqa'. 

Daesh is a name for ISIS used by many Arabic-speaking media organisations.

Former Delta Force officer James Reese told CNN: 'This is the punch in the nose to the bully that we talked about on the playground. ISIS is the bully, and we just punched him in the nose.'

'We will be prepared to strike ISIL targets in Syria that degrade ISIL's capabilities,' Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told senators last week, using one of the acronyms for the Islamic State group. 'This won't look like a shock-and-awe campaign, because that's simply not how ISIL is organized, but it will be a persistent and sustainable campaign.

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said that the plan 'includes targeted actions against ISIL safe havens in Syria, including its command and control logistics capabilities and infrastructure.' He said he and Dempsey approved the plan.

The U.S. has also been increasing its surveillance flights over Syria, getting better intelligent on potential targets and militant movements. 

Rolling out the Raptor: According to reports, the $139million F-22 stealth fighter jet saw combat for the first time ever during the strikes over Raqqa. Two of the jets are pictured here, over Guam

Rolling out the Raptor: According to reports, the $139million F-22 stealth fighter jet saw combat for the first time ever during the strikes over Raqqa. Two of the jets are pictured here, over Guam

The aircraft carrier George H.W. Bush is pictured here. It is currently in the Persian Gulf and may have been a launching point for some of the aircraft that struck at Syria on Monday (FILE)

The aircraft carrier George H.W. Bush is pictured here. It is currently in the Persian Gulf and may have been a launching point for some of the aircraft that struck at Syria on Monday (FILE)

Tomahawk: Military officials a revealed that Tomahawk missiles (file photo of the sea-to-land missile seen here) were being launched at Syrian targets from the Persian Gulf and Red Sea

Tomahawk: Military officials a revealed that Tomahawk missiles (file photo of the sea-to-land missile seen here) were being launched at Syrian targets from the Persian Gulf and Red Sea

RUSSIA ATTACKS U.S. OVER ISIS AIRSTRIKES, SAYING SYRIA'S BASHAR AL-ASSAD SHOULD HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN PLANS, NOT SIMPLY INFORMED

Russia has criticised the U.S.-led airstrikes against ISIS targets, saying they should have been agreed in advance with Syria and would fuel tension in the region.

The United States, which has long called for the dismissal of the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and several Gulf Arab allies carried out the first air and missile strikes on Islamic State strongholds in Syria.

'Any such action can be carried out only in accordance with international law,' the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

'That implies not a formal, one-sided 'notification' of airstrikes but the presence of explicit consent from the government of Syria or the approval of a corresponding U.N. Security Council decision.'

Washington, which has also carried out airstrikes in Iraq that were agreed with Baghdad, has said it will not coordinate its plans with Damascus, which it accuses of using chemical weapons against rebels fighting to oust Assad since early 2011.

'Attempts to achieve one's own geopolitical goals in violation of the sovereignty of countries in the region only exacerbate tensions and further destabilise the situation,' the ministry said.

The Western-backed Syrian opposition, which is fighting both Assad and Islamic State, welcomed the airstrikes, which it said would help defeat Assad.

Strong presence: Military leaders have said about two-thirds of the estimated 31,000 Islamic State militants were in Syria. The U.S. has also been increasing its surveillance flights over Syria, getting better intelligent on potential targets and militant movements

Strong presence: Military leaders have said about two-thirds of the estimated 31,000 Islamic State militants were in Syria. The U.S. has also been increasing its surveillance flights over Syria, getting better intelligent on potential targets and militant movements

Retribution: ISIS (troops pictured here in Raqqa), meanwhile, has threatened retribution. Its spokesman, Abu Mohammed al-Adnani, said in a 42-minute audio statement released Sunday that the fighters were ready to battle the U.S.-led military coalition and called for attacks at home and abroad

Retribution: ISIS (troops pictured here in Raqqa), meanwhile, has threatened retribution. Its spokesman, Abu Mohammed al-Adnani, said in a 42-minute audio statement released Sunday that the fighters were ready to battle the U.S.-led military coalition and called for attacks at home and abroad

Vowing to stop ISIS: In a speech Sept. 10, Obama vowed to go after the Islamic State militants wherever they may be. And his military and defense leaders told Congress last week that airstrikes within Syria are meant to disrupt the group's momentum and provide time for the U.S. and allies to train and equip moderate Syrian rebels

Vowing to stop ISIS: In a speech Sept. 10, Obama vowed to go after the Islamic State militants wherever they may be. And his military and defense leaders told Congress last week that airstrikes within Syria are meant to disrupt the group's momentum and provide time for the U.S. and allies to train and equip moderate Syrian rebels

LIVE TWEETING SYRIA AIRSTRIKE? RAQQA RESIDENT DESCRIBES 'SKY FULL OF DRONES' AS SYRIANS POST EVIDENCE THE ASSAULT HAS BEGUN

A Syrian man may have been first to break the news of America and its partners' air assault on the ISIS-controlled hubs on the Middle Eastern nation.

According to Vox, Twitter user and resident of Raqqa--where the military says its started the air assault on Syria--Abdulkader Hariri (@3bdUlkaed6r) first started tweeting what he saw some 30 minutes before American news reported the strikes. 

 

 

Hariri describes not only manned aircraft, but also drones in his posts. The U.S. did not mention the use of these unmanned aircraft in its official announcement of the airstrikes.

Just after the strikes were to have begun, Syrian activist news agency Step posted a brief but startling video that purports to show the bombing of Raqqa.

 ISRAELI MILITARY SHOOTS DOWN SYRIAN GOVERNMENT FIGHTER JET

The Israeli military shot down a Syrian fighter jet that infiltrated its airspace over the Golan Heights this morning - the first such downing in decades, heightening tensions in the region.

The military said a 'Syrian aircraft infiltrated into Israeli air space' in the morning hours and that the military 'intercepted the aircraft in mid-flight, using the Patriot air defense system.'

The military would not say what type of aircraft was downed and said the circumstances of the incident were 'unclear.'

A defense official identified the downed aircraft as a Sukhoi Su-24 Russian fighter plane. Perviously, it was reported to have been a MiG aircraft.He said the Syrian jet penetrated 800 meters (2,600 feet) into Israeli air space and tried to return to Syria after the Patriot missile was fired.

The crew managed to abandon the plane in time and landed in Syrian territory, the Israeli official said.

Military leaders have said about two-thirds of the estimated 31,000 Islamic State militants were in Syria.

In a speech Sept. 10, Obama vowed to go after the Islamic State militants wherever they may be. And his military and defense leaders told Congress last week that airstrikes within Syria are meant to disrupt the group's momentum and provide time for the U.S. and allies to train and equip moderate Syrian rebels.

'I have made it clear that we will hunt down terrorists who threaten our country, wherever they are,' Obama said. 'That means I will not hesitate to take action against ISIL in Syria, as well as Iraq. This is a core principle of my presidency: if you threaten America, you will find no safe haven.'

The U.S. military has been launching targeted airstrikes in Iraq since August, focusing specifically on attacks to protect U.S. interests and personnel, assist Iraqi refugees and secure critical infrastructure. Last week, as part of the newly expanded campaign, the U.S. began going after militant targets across Iraq, including enemy fighters, outposts, equipment and weapons.

To date U.S. fighter aircraft, bombers and drones have launched about 190 airstrikes within Iraq.

Urged on by the White House and U.S. defense and military officials, Congress passed legislation late last week authorizing the military to arm and train moderate Syrian rebels. Obama signed the bill into law Friday, providing $500 million for the U.S. to train about 5,000 rebels over the next year.

U.S. leaders have also been crisscrossing the globe trying to build a broad international coalition of nations, including Arab countries, to go after the Islamic State group and help train and equip the Iraqi security forces and the Syrian rebels.

The militant group, meanwhile, has threatened retribution. Its spokesman, Abu Mohammed al-Adnani, said in a 42-minute audio statement released Sunday that the fighters were ready to battle the U.S.-led military coalition and called for attacks at home and abroad. 

Fleeing: Syrians carry their belongings near the Syrian border Sunday near the southeastern town of Suruc in Sanliurfa province, Turkey as the Turkish deputy Prime Minister said some 60,000 Syrian had fled across the border as Islamic State (IS) militants shelled villages close to the border

Fleeing: Syrians carry their belongings near the Syrian border Sunday near the southeastern town of Suruc in Sanliurfa province, Turkey as the Turkish deputy Prime Minister said some 60,000 Syrian had fled across the border as Islamic State (IS) militants shelled villages close to the border

Getting desperate: Thousands of Kurdish men, women and children are pictured carrying their belongings as they poured into Sanliurfa, on Saturday. ISIS has seized control of Kurdish regions in the north of the country and intensified their assault on Kobani, a town in a strategic position along the northern border

Getting desperate: Thousands of Kurdish men, women and children are pictured carrying their belongings as they poured into Sanliurfa, on Saturday. ISIS has seized control of Kurdish regions in the north of the country and intensified their assault on Kobani, a town in a strategic position along the northern border

 beheading American journalist James Foley admitted Friday to conspiring with Osama bin Laden in the 1998 bombings of two US embassies in Africa that left 224 people dead, including 12 Americans.
Adel Abdel Bary ? the father of suspected ISIS terrorist Abdel-Majed Abdel Bary, also known as ?John the Beatle? ? copped a guilty plea in Manhattan federal court to charges of making a threat to use an explosive device and conspiracy to murder Americans.
?I agreed with others & to kill American citizens anywhere in the world ? either civilian or military,? the elder Bary told Judge Lewis Kaplan while shaking his head, sobbing and wiping his eyes with tissues.
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The suspected terrorist is the son of Adel Abdel Bary, who used to make terrorism plots with Osama bin Laden.
When asked afterward if the 54-year-old Bary?s decision to plead guilty has anything to do with ?his son?s situation? ? or if he?s spoken about his son?

Catalyzing: The beheading American journalist James Foley and two other Westerners helped catalyze public fury over the increasing power of ISIS in Syria and elsewhere

Demanding a fight: The beheadings of American Steven Sotloff (left) and David Haines (right) have further enraged Westerners
Demanding a fight: The beheadings of American Steven Sotloff (left) and David Haines (right) have further enraged Westerners

Demanding a fight: The beheadings of American Steven Sotloff (left) and David Haines (right) have further enraged Westerners

WILL MIDDLE EASTERN NATIONS MAKE OR BREAK THE BATTLE AGAINST ISIS? U.S. OFFICIALS SAY ARAB NATION PARTNERS WILL BE CRITICAL ALLIES

 Two U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Arab participation was essential for Obama as he looked to expand the American campaign of air strikes to Syria from Iraq, where the U.S. military has already carried out 190 strikes as of Monday.

Several Arab countries have offered to join the United States in air strikes against Islamic State targets, a senior U.S. official told reporters on Sept. 14.

But the United States has so far refused to detail which nations have given private assurances to Washington that they would join in air strikes in Syria, part of a broader strategy against the Islamic State that includes training and arming moderate Syrian opposition fighters.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power said in television interviews over the weekend that other nations were willing to join air strikes in Syria. 

Vital allies: All the U.S. partners in the airstrikes against Syria are Middle Eastern nations. They are Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Jordan and Bahrain. Here, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal, second from right, and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, left, and their representatives, pause for photos at the end of their meeting in New York on Monday

Vital allies: All the U.S. partners in the airstrikes against Syria are Middle Eastern nations. They are Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Jordan and Bahrain. Here, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal, second from right, and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, left, and their representatives, pause for photos at the end of their meeting in New York on Monday

'I will make you a prediction,' Power said on ABC. 'We will not do the air strikes alone if the president decides to do the air strikes.'

Several Arab states have powerful air forces, including Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates. Saudi Arabia, for example, has also already agreed to host U.S. training of Syrian opposition fighters.

But many Gulf Arab states have been reluctant to be seen aggressively joining the U.S. campaign in Iraq and Syria, fearing in some cases reprisals by extremists or forces loyal to the Syrian government.

The White House last week declined to 'telegraph' when strikes might occur or what preconditions stood in the way.

Obama will give a speech at the U.N. General Assembly on Wednesday to make the case again for world action against Islamic State.

Powerful air force: Seen here is a Royal Saudi Air Force Panavia Tornado IDS, part of the nation's substantial air fleet

Powerful air force: Seen here is a Royal Saudi Air Force Panavia Tornado IDS, part of the nation's substantial air fleet



 

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