Moments ago, in what would be a clear escalation in the Iraq war, and confirmation that the US has finally gone "kinetic" as it warned on several occasions in the past it would, Iraq state-sponsored Iraqiya TV [4]reported that US drones had struck ISIS targets near the Iraq-Syria border attack without giving details or saying how it obtained the information.
[5]
BBC Arabic has more [6]:
U.S. planes bombed targets in the drone region based on the Iraqi-Syrian border, according to sources close to Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki.
U.S. President Barack Obama announced last week that Washington will be "specific strikes" of the armed militants, who control some Iraqi cities, if "this is required
On the other hand, there were conflicting reports from Iraq on the end of the battle for control of a major oil refinery in Baiji, Iraq, amid reports unconfirmed reports that Sunni insurgents have controlled it in the end.
An official in northern Iraq told the BBC that 160 soldiers defending the Baiji refinery and agreed to lay down their arms and leave their positions after mediation by tribal leaders in the region.
But an officer in the Iraqi army, located inside the refinery opposed these reports and said that the militants did not dominate, but the towers near the fence.
The Iraqi military spokesman has said - earlier - that the rebels were forced to leave the place. The refinery has been under siege ten days, with rebels repel attack more than once.
He says BBC correspondent in northern Iraq, said the control of the Baiji refinery is necessary that the rebels wanted to maintain control of the areas where they entered, and provide energy for the connector.
From the Pentagon's Press Secretary John Kirby:
No truth to rumors in media today that US drones struck ISIL targets in Iraq.
— Rear Adm. John Kirby (@PentagonPresSec) June 24, 2014 [7]
Clearly these are not the drones you are looking for...
[8]
