Photos: U.S. & Arab Coalition Airstrike Hits ISIS in Syria + video

 U. S.  and  Arab coalition have launched strikes from the air and sea against Islamic State militants in Syria on Tuesday, opening a new front in the battle against the brutal jihadist group.

The airstrikes focused on the ISIS stronghold of Raqqa, a U.S. official told reporters, though other locations were hit as well.

The US Central Command said in a statement that Bahrain, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates had joined Washington in carrying out the strikes.

“Using a mix of fighter, bombers, remotely piloted aircraft and Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles” the coalition conducted 14 strikes against IS targets in Syria, it said.

The strikes “destroyed or damaged” multiple targets in the jihadists’ northern stronghold and near the border with Iraq including IS fighter positions, training compounds, command centres and armed vehicles.

They’re the first strikes against the terror group inside the country since President Barack Obama’s announcement this month that he was prepared to expand the American efforts beyond targets in Iraq.

All foreign partners participating in the strikes with the United States are Arab countries, a senior U.S. military official told reporters. Those nations are Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan.

Diplomatic sources told reporters that Qatar was also involved, though it was not clear whether Qatar actually conducted airstrikes itself.

Damascus said that it had been informed by Washington of the air raids prior to the action on its soil.

Syria’s opposition National Coalition welcomed the new strikes, but urged sustained pressure on Assad’s government.

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