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Pentagon Releases Footage Showing U.S. Military F-18 Hornet Drop ‘500-Pound Laser Guided Bombs' on ISIS Terror Target

Pentagon Releases Footage Showing U.S. Military F-18 Hornet Drop ‘500-Pound Laser Guided Bombs' on ISIS Terror Target

"ISIL was using this artillery to shell Kurdish forces defending the city, where U.S. personnel are located."

New video released by the Pentagon late Friday night shows U.S. military aircrafts striking Islamic State terror sites.

"The first attack occurred about 6:45 a.m. EDT when two F/A-18 aircraft dropped 500-pound laser-guided bombs on a mobile artillery piece near Irbil, the capital of Iraq’s Kurdistan region," the Pentagon said. "ISIL was using this artillery to shell Kurdish forces defending the city, where U.S. personnel are located."

"Two additional air strikes occurred later in the day, the last at about 11:20 a.m. EDT when four F/A-18 aircraft successfully struck a stationary ISIL convoy of seven vehicles and a mortar position near Irbil, neutralizing the mortar and convoy," the Pentagon added.

Footage of the strikes shows thick black plumes of smoke rising into the air following a bright white flash after the targets had been hit.

President Barack Obama said Thursday night during a special prime-time address that he authorized targeted airstrikes if needed to protect U.S. personnel in Iraq.

Footage also released Friday night by the Pentagon shows U.S. forces conducting humanitarian aid drops.

"This mission was conducted from multiple airbases within the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility and included one C-17 and two C-130 aircraft that together dropped a total of 72 bundles of supplies," the Pentagon said. "They were escorted by two F/A-18s also from an airbase within Central Command; the supply mission did not require any U.S. ground forces."

The drop provided displaced Iraqis with 5,300 gallons of fresh water and 8,000 meals, according to the Pentagon.

Follow Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) on Twitter

 

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