For the very first time, the United States Army has shown ISIS the capabilities of its Apache helicopter gunship by firing a hellfire missile at an ISIS armored vehicle rigged with explosives outside the Iraqi city of Qayyarah, a senior defense official told Fox News.
Qayyarah is located about 50 miles south of Mosul, the second largest city in Iraq, which in 2014 was taken over by ISIS fighters.
“I’m going to be careful about how far I go … but they were employed against [an] ISIL target, an ISIL target was struck and the operation,” Defense Secretary Ash Carter told reporters Monday.
“This is the first time that it’s been called into action, and effectively,” he added. (via)
It is yet to be reported how many ISIS fighters were killed, but the attack is indicative of increased U.S. involvement in the support the Iraqi Army in pushing ISIS out of the region.
According to CNN, the U.S. has been pressing the Iraqi government for months to use its Apache helicopters, which are highly effective due to their ability to strike at long ranges and limit the capabilities of accurate ground-to-air rebuttal fire, but their offer was consistently rebuked by the Iraqis.
Iraqis then okayed the helicopters to be brought into action, likely with the knowledge that isolating Mosul and cutting off ISIS resupply lines is essential to make progress in the region.
You guys know the old saying…
[h/t CNN]