WASHINGTON, September 23 (RIA Novosti) – The United States used F-22 fighter jets - fifth-generation aircraft - to make airstrikes on Islamic State targets in Syria on Tuesday, Gen. William Mayville, Joint Staff director of operations, said at a Pentagon briefing.
“This strike was the first time the F-22 was used in a combat role. The flight of the F-22s delivered GPS-guided munitions - precision munitions targeting only the right side of the building,” Mayville said.
The Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor is the only currently combat-ready fifth-generation fighter.
The Pentagon believes that it was “successful” in hitting IS targets in Syria, Press Secretary Rear Adm. John Kirby told reporters.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Unites States carried out a number of airstrikes against IS positions in Syria, using aircraft, drones and Tomahawk missiles. Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates also reportedly took part in the attacks.
Obama unveiled a strategy for defeating the IS on September 10. The plan includes forming an international coalition to fight the radical organization and authorizing US airstrikes against IS positions in Syria, while simultaneously continuing airstrikes in Iraq, which the United States authorized in August.
The IS, also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Greater Syria (ISIS), has been fighting against Syrian government since 2012. In June 2014, the group extended its attacks to northern and western Iraq. Ceasing vast territories in both countries and forcing thousands of people, mostly religious minorities, to flee, the IS declared a caliphate on all the territories under its control.
