The United States Air Force deploys B-52 bombers to Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar to join operations against ISIL in Syria and Iraq. This is the first time they have been stationed in the Middle East since the end of the Gulf War in 1991. 2016-04-9
Iraqi forces capture the northern part of the ISIL held town of Hīt, west of Baghdad. 2016-04-3
The United States military says ISIL's so-called minister-of-war, Abu Omar al-Shishani, né Tarkhan Tayumurazovich Batirashvili, appears to have been killed in a U.S. air strike near the town of Al-Shaddadi in Syria. 2016-03-8
While testifying about the United States military’s current strategy, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Paul J. Selva warns the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) against falling into a ground fight trap with ISIL and U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter cautions that increased U.S. ground presence will “Americanize” the conflict. The Daily Beast reports that both Pentagon officials “did little to assuage lawmakers’ concerns that the strategy isn’t working.’’ At the same time, former U.S. defense officials tell SASC the current approach is inadequate. 2015-12-10
Following meetings with French President François Hollande at the Kremlin, Russian President Vladimir Putin says he is ready to coordinate strikes against the Islamic State with the United States and its allies, but warns acts like the Turkish downing of a Russian jet could destroy any chance of collaboration. 2015-11-26
Jean-Yves Le Drian, the French Minister of Defence, calls on the United Kingdom to join France in bombing ISIL. 2015-11-26
British Prime Minister David Cameron, in a speech to the House of Commons says that Islamic extremists have already threatened citizens of the United Kingdom and UK military airstrikes against ISIL in Syria will serve only to make the UK safer. Cameron also says that the UK cannot outsource its security and must stand by France in the wake of the November 2015 Paris attacks. 2015-11-26
Cyprus offers France the use of its airbase facilities to bomb the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in Syria. Cypriot airbases are already being used by British and Canadian air forces for military operations. 2015-11-20
A U.S. airstrike on a compound in the Libyan port city of Derna is said to have killed Wisam al Zubaidi, also known as Abu Nabil al-Anbari, who commands the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant's branch in Libya. A Pentagon official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss details of the operation, said the airstrike involved F-15 aircraft and was believed to have killed Zubaidi. He said the attack had been planned for some time. 2015-11-14
The Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) capture the military base Brigade 93 and enter the town of Ayn Issa, the first defense line of ISIL north of its de facto capital al-Raqqah.ISIL claims it has started the destruction of the ancient complex of Palmyra. 2015-06-23