August 8th 2014 – At approximately 6:45 a.m. EDT, the U.S. military conducted a targeted airstrike against Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) terrorists. Two F/A-18 aircraft dropped 500-pound laser-guided bombs on a mobile artillery piece near Erbil. ISIL was using this artillery to shell Kurdish forces defending Erbil where U.S. personnel are located.

The decision to strike was made by the U.S. Central Command commander under authorization granted him by the commander in chief. As the president made clear, the United States military will continue to take direct action against ISIL when they threaten our personnel and facilities.

Aug. 8, 2014 – The U.S. military continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant targets near Erbil in northern Iraq today, conducting two additional airstrikes to help defend the city where U.S. personnel are assisting the Iraqi government, Pentagon Press Secretary Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby said. Shortly after 10 a.m. EDT, remotely piloted aircraft struck a terrorist mortar position, Kirby said in a statement. When ISIL fighters returned to the site moments later, he added, the terrorists were attacked again and were killed.

At about 11:20 a.m. EDT, four F/A-18 aircraft successfully struck a stationary ISIL convoy of seven vehicles and a mortar position near Erbil. “The aircraft executed two planned passes,” Kirby said. “On both runs, each aircraft dropped one laser guided bomb making a total of eight bombs dropped on target, neutralizing the mortar and convoy.”

Obama authorizes airstrikes in Iraq, initially framing the campaign as an effort both to “defend Americans” at risk in Iraq, and “to help save Iraqi civilians stranded on the mountain,” according to the Pentagon.