Jordan's air force resumes raids against Islamic State
REUTERS 12:13 PM ET 02/12/15
AMMAN (Reuters) - Jordanian air force jets bombed Islamic State militants' hideouts in Syria on Thursday, state television said, resuming the intensified raids that ended at the weekend after three days.
The raids are the first the Jordanian military have announced since three straight days of aerial bombing - in retaliation for the killing of a pilot - that ended on Saturday.
"The airforce has bombed and destroyed select targets of the Daesh criminal gang this afternoon," it said. "Daesh" is a derogative term for the militants.
UAE air force jets that arrived in Amman this week started raids against Islamic State militants in Syria on Tuesday. The reinforcements - a squadron of F-16 fighters - did a second mission on Thursday, an army source said.
Jordan's King Abdullah has vowed to avenge the killing of pilot Mouath al-Kasaesbeh, who was burned to death by Islamic State militants.
The monarch, a staunch U.S. ally, has ordered his commanders to prepare for a bigger military role in the international coalition fighting Islamic State in both Syria and Iraq.
Many Jordanians fear greater involvement could trigger a backlash by hardline militants inside the kingdom.
(Reporting by Suleiman Al-Khalidi; Editing by Louise Ireland)
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