‘Shock without awe’: US and five Arab nations launch devastating wave of FIFTY bombing missions on ISIS stronghold in Syria – and foil ‘imminent terror threat’ on America
Fanatics’ de facto capital Raqqa hit by wave after wave of missiles and bombs during the first U.S. airstrikes in Syria
20 militants reported dead already, with videos posted online showing huge blasts across the north of the country
Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Jordan ‘participated’ in strikes – though their exact involvement is not yet known
Strikes saw first combat for $139 million F-22 fighter jets – with Tomahawk missiles also launched from Naval vessels
U.S. also carried out separate strikes on Al Qaeda group Khorasan – who were planning ‘imminent attack’ on the West
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was warned in advance about strikes, but is not thought to have had any input
News comes as ISIS release second video showing captured British journalist John Cantlie criticising Western attacks
By Josh Gardner and John Hall
DailyMailUK
23 September 2014
The U.S. and five Arab countries launched dozens of air strikes against ISIS overnight in order to show the terror group that its attacks will not go unanswered, America’s top military officer said today.
Army General Martin Dempsey said the raids in northern Syria – which employed Tomahawk missiles, B1 bombers, F16, F18 and F22 strike fighters and drones – will have successfully proved to the radical Islamists that even strongholds such as the city of Raqqa do not represent a ‘safe haven’.
American air power was backed by ‘participation or support’ from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan and the UAE – a coalition of nations that has agreed to assist with the destruction of ISIS – with Britain not involved in the overnight strikes.
There was also a U.S. attack on a separate band of Islamist militants in Syria – the Al Qaeda-affiliated Khorasan Group, who were said to have been planning an ‘imminent attack’ on a Western target.
News of the airstrikes comes as ISIS’ highly-organized press office released a second propaganda video appearing to feature captured British hostage John Cantlie.
The journalist – wearing a Guantanamo Bay-style orange jumpsuit – is filmed questioning America’s preparation for attacks on ISIS, and compares the ‘unwinnable’ conflict to the Vietnam War.
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