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Jordan minister on Islamic State strike: 'we're upping the ante'
Country's foreign minister says airstrike just the beginning of retaliation against Isil for the killing of its pilot
Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh said his country's strike against Islamic State in Syria on Thursday was just the start of its response to the militant group's immolation of its captured pilot last month.
"It's actually the beginning of our retaliation," Judeh said in an interview with CNN on Thursday. He said his country was "upping the ante" and going after the militants "with everything that we have."
Jordan also released a slickly produced video showing its jets being prepared ahead of airstrikes on Syria on Thursday.
The footage,which was broadcast on state TV, shows troops writing Koranic verses and anti-Isil messages on plane-mounted missiles before the fleet of fighter jets are launched from the base.
The mission - dubbed Operation Martyr Moaz - was its latest strike against the country after it joined the US-led coalition late last year.
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Jordan's military said it had deployed tens of fighter jets against Islamic State in Syria, which included bombing ammunition depots and training camps.
The US military said it had deployed aircraft and troops to northern Iraq to boost its ability to shorten the response time needed to reach pilots who end up in territory held by the Islamic State group, officials said.
Search-and-rescue crews had been based in Kuwait, but officials said Wednesday the military was reviewing where its hardware and specialists were located following the loss of the Jordanian pilot.
The redeployment came as US aircraft on Thursday escorted Jordanian warplanes over Syria for dozens of retaliatory air strikes against the IS group.
American F-16 and F-22 jets provided security to Jordan's fighter planes on the strike mission while US refueling tankers and surveillance aircraft provided additional support, defense officials said.
The United Arab Emirates, fearing for the safety of its pilots, reportedly had raised concerns about search-and-rescue resources with the Americans, urging them to redeploy some V-22 tilt-rotor Osprey aircraft to northern Iraq.
US officials suggested the move of some search-and-rescue teams to northern Iraq would include helicopters but not necessarily Ospreys, an aircraft that takes off like a chopper but flies like a plane.
The UAE pulled out of air strike flights in December, shortly after the Jordanian pilot was captured by IS extremists after his F-16 fighter jet went down in eastern Syria.
The UAE has indicated that the suspension of its participation in the air campaign would continue until the Osprey aircraft were moved to northern Iraq, according to the New York Times.
IS militants posted a grisly video Tuesday showing the Jordanian airman, Maaz al-Kassasbeh, being burned alive.
Apart from the UAE, Bahrain, Jordan and Saudi Arabia take part in US-led air raids in Syria, which began in September.
Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom participate in the air campaign in Iraq, which was launched on August 8.
The United States plays a dominant role in the air war, carrying out at least 80 percent of the raids, according to officials.
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Country's foreign minister says airstrike just the beginning of retaliation against Isil for the killing of its pilot
Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh said his country's strike against Islamic State in Syria on Thursday was just the start of its response to the militant group's immolation of its captured pilot last month.
"It's actually the beginning of our retaliation," Judeh said in an interview with CNN on Thursday. He said his country was "upping the ante" and going after the militants "with everything that we have."
Jordan also released a slickly produced video showing its jets being prepared ahead of airstrikes on Syria on Thursday.
The footage,which was broadcast on state TV, shows troops writing Koranic verses and anti-Isil messages on plane-mounted missiles before the fleet of fighter jets are launched from the base.
The mission - dubbed Operation Martyr Moaz - was its latest strike against the country after it joined the US-led coalition late last year.
Related Articles
Mourners attend the condolences of Mouaz Kasasbeh, a Jordanian Air Force Pilot who was executed by IS
Jordanian air force pilot woke early to pray on day of crash 05 Feb 2015
King Abdullah: a warrior and a biker but is he a statesman? 05 Feb 2015
Jordanian jets 'pound Islamic State positions' 05 Feb 2015
We must resist Isil’s revolting propaganda 04 Feb 2015
Jordan's military said it had deployed tens of fighter jets against Islamic State in Syria, which included bombing ammunition depots and training camps.
The US military said it had deployed aircraft and troops to northern Iraq to boost its ability to shorten the response time needed to reach pilots who end up in territory held by the Islamic State group, officials said.
Search-and-rescue crews had been based in Kuwait, but officials said Wednesday the military was reviewing where its hardware and specialists were located following the loss of the Jordanian pilot.
The redeployment came as US aircraft on Thursday escorted Jordanian warplanes over Syria for dozens of retaliatory air strikes against the IS group.
American F-16 and F-22 jets provided security to Jordan's fighter planes on the strike mission while US refueling tankers and surveillance aircraft provided additional support, defense officials said.
The United Arab Emirates, fearing for the safety of its pilots, reportedly had raised concerns about search-and-rescue resources with the Americans, urging them to redeploy some V-22 tilt-rotor Osprey aircraft to northern Iraq.
US officials suggested the move of some search-and-rescue teams to northern Iraq would include helicopters but not necessarily Ospreys, an aircraft that takes off like a chopper but flies like a plane.
The UAE pulled out of air strike flights in December, shortly after the Jordanian pilot was captured by IS extremists after his F-16 fighter jet went down in eastern Syria.
The UAE has indicated that the suspension of its participation in the air campaign would continue until the Osprey aircraft were moved to northern Iraq, according to the New York Times.
IS militants posted a grisly video Tuesday showing the Jordanian airman, Maaz al-Kassasbeh, being burned alive.
Apart from the UAE, Bahrain, Jordan and Saudi Arabia take part in US-led air raids in Syria, which began in September.
Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom participate in the air campaign in Iraq, which was launched on August 8.
The United States plays a dominant role in the air war, carrying out at least 80 percent of the raids, according to officials.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
