Canadian CF-18s hits back at ISIS bomb factory and staging area

 Royal Canadian Air Force CF-18 Hornets depart after refueling with a KC-135 Stratotanker assigned to the 340th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, Thursday, Â Oct. 30, 2014, over Iraq

The Canadian Press 

Canadian warplanes have gone into action again in Iraq, bombing a militant compound and bomb-making factory in separate raids over the last few days.

Defence Minister Rob Nicholson announced the news in a conference call on Thursday, following a NATO defence ministers meeting in Brussels.

Nicholson said one mission took place Wednesday and involved CF-18s hitting a compound that was used as a staging area for extremists who've been launching guerilla-style raids into Baghdad.

Battle Ready! King of Jordan planning to lead airstrike against ISIS himself?

The king of Jordan, Abdullah II ibn al-Hussein is a trained pilot and there are now reports that he's planning to personally take part and lead revenge airstrikes on ISIS after the brutal killing of one of their pilots, 27 year old military pilot, Moaz al-Kassasbeh.

According to Mail Online, an Arabic-language newspaper said King Abdullah is considering taking part in the bombings  after he reportedly quoted a Clint Eastwood character;

'Any man I see out there, I'm gonna kill him. Any son of a bitch takes a shot at me, I'm not only going to kill him, I'm going to kill his wife and all his friends and burn his damn house down.,' Eastwood's William Munny says in 'Unforgiven.'

War Against Extremism As Canadian CF-18 Strikes ISIS Base

A Canadian Forces CF-18 from 400 squadron touches down in Kuwait.

Murray Brewster The Canadian Press
Canada is at war with the Islamic State and will do what is necessary to eliminate the threat it poses, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Thursday.

His comments came as the military revealed that CF-18s have carried out another seven attacks in Iraq over the last couple of weeks.

A decision to extend the air mission, which is due to end in April, has not been made, but prime minister said when the time comes one of the criteria will be “the kind of risk it poses to our country.”

And Harper said the risk is significant.

War Ready! Canadian CF-18s strike fighter positions in Iraq

Royal Canadian Air Force CF-18 Hornets depart after refueling with a KC-135 Stratotanker assigned to the 340th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, Thursday, Â Oct. 30, 2014, over Iraq. Two Canadian fighter jets spent New Year's Eve bombing militants' positions in Iraq as part of a international airstrike campaign. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-U.S. Air Force Photo by Staff Sgt. Perry Aston

The Canadian Press
Two Canadian fighter jets spent New Year’s Eve bombing militants’ positions in Iraq as part of a international airstrike campaign.

The Defence Department says that on Dec. 31, the two CF-18s struck ISIL fighting positions using precision-guided munitions.

The planes were acting in support of Iraqi security forces’ group operations west of Fallujah.

According to information posted by the American and Australian governments, the targets hit in that area were tactical units belong to the Islamic State.

Canadian CF-18s hit more ISIS targets in Iraq

CF-18s have struck against more Islamic State targets in Iraq. | The Canadian Press 

The Canadian Press
Canadian warplanes have conducted another attack on Islamic State forces.

Two CF-18s Hornets bombed an extremist fighting position about 250 kilometres southwest of Mosul, Iraq’s second largest city.

National Defence reports the attack, which happened Wednesday, was carried out with laser-guide munitions and a Canadian C-140 Aurora surveillance plane provided intelligence and reconnaissance support.

Over 114 sorties have been carried out since the fighter jets deployed to Kuwait in support of the U.S.-led coalition.

Last week, Canadian jets supporting Iraqi security forces north-east of Mosul also dropped bombs on Islamic State bunkers and two heavy machine gun emplacements.

Canadian foreign minister rules out ISIS airstrike

Minister of Foreign Affairs John Baird takes part in a press conference in Ottawa on Tuesday, September 30, 2014. Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press

 Adam Schreck
The Associated PressCanada has no plans to follow its neighbour the United States in expanding airstrikes against the Islamic State group into Syria, the country’s top diplomat said Saturday during a visit to the Middle East.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Foreign Minister John Baird said Canada has a responsibility to contribute to the U.S.-led bombing campaign in part because the Islamic State group has attracted Canadian fighters to its ranks. But he insisted that support would be confined to Iraq for now.

“At this time we’re focusing on our current mission. … We’ll stick with Iraq,” he said at a security conference in the Gulf island kingdom of Bahrain.

Canadian warplanes launched their first airstrikes against militants early last month with attacks on targets near the Iraqi city of Fallujah.

ISIS Group ‘likely’ Killed in Canadian Airstrike

A Canadian Forces CF-18 from 400 squadron touches down in Kuwait. DND/The Canadian Press

Murray Brewster
The Canadian Press
Canadian warplanes have destroyed only two Islamic State targets in nearly two weeks of air operations, but the commander of the mission says success can’t be measured in the number of bombs dropped.

The air campaign is putting the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant on the “defensive,” prompting militants to hide vehicles and equipment from the prying eyes of surveillance aircraft, Col. Dan Constable insisted Thursday.

“They’re hiding more,” Constable said via conference call from the secret base in Kuwait where Canadian CF-18 jets have been operating.
“They’re providing fewer targets, which also means they’re a less a capable force.”

He provided more details on Tuesday’s bombing mission near Bayji, 200 kilometres north of Baghdad, in which a Canadian laser-guided bomb obliterated an Islamic State artillery piece that was apparently being moved along a road.