UK Air Force conducts first air strikes against IS in Iraq

 The Royal Air Force (RAF) Tornado GR4 aircraft have been in action over Iraq in the fight against the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).

“This action is part of the international coalition’s operations to support the democratic Iraqi government,” the British Ministry of Defence said in a statement Tuesday.

In the course of an armed reconnaissance mission from RAF Akrotiri, 2 Tornados were tasked to assist Kurdish troops in northwest Iraq who were under attack from ISIL terrorists.

On arriving overhead, the RAF patrol, using the Litening III targeting pod, identified an ISIL heavy weapon position which was engaging Kurdish ground forces.

One Paveway IV guided bomb was used to attack the ISIL position, according to the statement.

Following this engagement, the patrol identified an ISIL armed pick-up truck in the same area and conducted an attack on the vehicle using a Brimstone missile.

An initial assessment indicates that both precision strikes were successful.

“Halting the advance of ISIL and helping the Iraqi government turn it back, and helping the Iraqi army and Kurdish forces to do that, is a huge task and is going to be a long campaign,” UK Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said.