U.S.-Led Syrian Airstrikes Enter Second Day

F/A-18F flying over the USS George H.W. Bush. Image-U.S. Navy
F/A-18F flying over the USS George H.W. Bush. Image-U.S. Navy

The U.S.-led coalition carried out it 20th airstrike in Syria in two days on Wednesday. This latest strike in the air campaign against ISIL targeted a convoy that was being used to transport equipment into Iraq, Eight vehicles were damaged in the strike.

Reports say that at least 120 militants were killed in the first day of strikes in Syria. The airstrikes on Nusra Front bases prompted that Al-Qaida affiliated faction to abandon those bases and move  their heavy artillery to prevent that armament from being further targeted. The Nusra Front lost 50 fighters to the airstrikes on Tuesday.

Although U.S. officials say they are unaware of any civilian casualties in Tuesday’s strikes, they say that they will investigate any reports that do come in. Various Syrian sources report the death of as few as eight to as many as 24.

With the second day of airstrikes in Syrian territory comes news that the Netherlands will consider supplying four F-16s to the campaign. The Netherlands was not approached on the issue of supplying weapons in the fight against ISIL when President Obama attended the NATO meeting in Wales earlier this month.