July 18: Military airstrikes continue against ISIS terrorists in Syria and Iraq

July 18, 2017
Release # 20170718-01
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SOUTHWEST ASIA - On July 17, Coalition military forces conducted 29 strikes consisting of 36 engagements against ISIS terrorists in Syria and Iraq.

In Syria, Coalition military forces conducted 25 strikes consisting of 32 engagements against ISIS targets.
* Near Abu Kamal, two strikes destroyed four ISIS oil refinement stills, three oil storage tanks, and three oil barrels.
* Near Al Shadaddi, one strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed an ISIS-held warehouse and a fighting position.
* Near Dayr Az Zawr, six strikes destroyed 12 ISIS oil refinement stills, four well-heads, and two oil storage tanks.
* Near Raqqah, 16 strikes engaged 10 ISIS tactical units and destroyed 13 fighting positions, two ISIS-held buildings, a tactical vehicle and an UAS.

In Iraq, Coalition military forces conducted four strikes consisting of four engagements against ISIS targets.
* Near Mosul, two strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units and destroyed a weapons cache and a staging area.
* Near Qayyarah, one strike suppressed an ISIS tactical unit.
* Near Rawah, one strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed a weapons cache and an ISIS-held building.

Additionally, 13 strikes were conducted in Syria and Iraq on July 16 that closed within the last 24 hours.
* On July 16, near Raqqah, Syria, 12 strikes engaged eight ISIS tactical units and destroyed six fighting positions, three ISIS communication towers, and a vehicle.
* On July 16, near Mosul, Iraq, one strike engaged a tactical unit and destroyed a fighting position.

These strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to destroy ISIS in Iraq and Syria. The destruction of ISIS targets in Iraq and Syria also further limits the group's ability to project terror and conduct external operations throughout the region and the rest of the world.

This Coalition strike release contains all strikes conducted by fighter, attack, bomber, rotary-wing, or remotely piloted aircraft, rocket propelled artillery and ground-based tactical artillery.

A strike, as defined in the Coalition release, refers to one or more kinetic engagements that occur in roughly the same geographic location to produce a single, sometimes cumulative effect in that location. For example, a single aircraft delivering a single weapon against a lone ISIS vehicle is one strike, but so is multiple aircraft delivering dozens of weapons against a group of ISIS-held buildings and weapon systems in a compound, having the cumulative effect of making that facility harder or impossible to use. Strike assessments are based on initial reports and may be refined.

CJTF-OIR does not report the number or type of aircraft employed in a strike, the number of munitions dropped in each strike, or the number of individual munition impact points against a target. The information used to compile the daily strike releases is based on 'Z' or Greenwich Mean Time.

-30-