Operation Inherent Resolve

{{Infobox military conflict
, conflict = Operation Inherent Resolve
, partof = the international military intervention against the Islamic State and the War on terror
, image =
, caption = U.S. Navy F/A-18F Super Hornets of VFA-22 take off from {{USS, Carl Vinson, CVN-70, 6 to support U.S. efforts for Operation Inherent Resolve in October 2014.
, date = 15 June 2014 – ''present''
({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=15, year1=2014)
*Iraq: 15 June 2014 – 9 December 2021
({{Age in months, weeks and days, year1=2014, month1=06, day1=15, year2=2021, month2=12, day2=09)
*Iraq (By DOD Directive): 31 January 2023 - 31 December 2024
({{Age in months, weeks and days, year1=2023, month1=01, day1=31, year2=2024, month2=12, day2=31)
*Syria: 22 September 2014 – ''present''
({{Age in months, weeks and days, year1=2014, month1=09, day1=22)
*Libya: 13 November 2015 – 30 October 2019
({{Age in months, weeks and days, year1=2015, month1=11, day1=13, year2=2019, month2=10, day2=30)
, place = {{flatlist,
*Iraq
*Syria
*Libya
, result =
, status = ''Ongoing''
* Territorial defeat of ISIL in Iraq on 9 December 2017.
* Territorial defeat of ISIL in Syria on 23 March 2019.
* ISIL defeated in Libya.
* 110,000 square kilometers containing 7.7 million people captured from the Islamic State by Syrian Democratic Forces and Iraqi Security Forces.
*President Trump meets Ahmed al-Sharaa and announces lifting sanctions on Syria
, combatant1 = {{Nowrap, {{flag, United States, size=23px
* U.S. Armed Forces
, combatant2 = {{flag, Islamic State
----
{{flagicon image, Flag of Jihad.svg al-Qaeda
* {{Flagicon image, Flag of the Al-Nusra Front.svg, size=23px al-Nusra Front (2014–17)
* {{flagicon image, Flag of Jihad.svg Khorasan group (2012–2017)
* Jund al-Aqsa{{cite web, title=An internal struggle: Al Qaeda's Syrian affiliate is grappling with its identity, url=http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/markaz/posts/2015/05/31-syria-isis-lister, website=Brookings Institution, date=31 May 2015, access-date=1 June 2015 (2014–17){{cite web, url=https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/2000-radical-rebels-defect-isis-following-intra-rebel-deal/, title=Over 2,000 radical rebels defect to ISIS following intra-rebel deal, first=Izat, last=Charkatli, date=23 February 2017, access-date=12 December 2017, archive-date=28 May 2019, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190528115241/https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/2000-radical-rebels-defect-isis-following-intra-rebel-deal/, url-status=dead{{Cite web, url=https://syriadirect.org/search-for-the-dead-begins-in-idlib-after-islamic-state-linked-brigade-leaves-for-raqqa/, title=Search for the dead begins in Idlib after Islamic State-linked brigade leaves for Raqqa, date=22 February 2017
* {{flagicon image, Flag of Jihad.svg Hurras al-Din (2018-2025)
{{flagicon image, Flag of the Turkistan Islamic Party in Syria.svg Turkistan Islamic Party{{cite web, url=http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2017/02/uighur-jihadist-fought-in-afghanistan-killed-in-syria.php, title=Uighur jihadist fought in Afghanistan, killed in Syria, author=Caleb Weiss, publisher=Long War Journal, date=14 February 2017, access-date=22 February 2017
----
{{flagicon image, Flag of the Islamic Front (Syria).svg Islamic Front (2013-15)
* {{flagicon image, Flag of Ahrar ash-Sham.svg Ahrar ash-Sham
(2014–18)
{{flagicon image, Flag of the Syrian Salvation Government.svg, size=22px Syrian Salvation Government (2017-24)
* {{flagicon image, Flag of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham.svg, size=22px Tahrir al-Sham (2017–25)
, commander1 = {{plainlist ,
* {{flagicon, United States Donald Trump
* {{flagicon, United States Pete Hegseth
* {{flagicon, United States Marco Rubio
* {{flagicon, United States MG Kevin C. Leahy
Former
* {{flagicon, United States Barack Obama
* {{flagicon, United States Joe Biden
* {{flagicon, United States Chuck Hagel
* {{flagicon, United States Jim Mattis
* {{flagicon, United States Patrick M. Shanahan
* {{flagicon, United States Richard V. Spencer
* {{flagicon, United States Mark Esper
* {{flagicon, United States Christopher C. Miller
* {{flagicon, United States David Norquist
* {{flagicon, United States Lloyd Austin
* {{flagicon, United States Robert G. Salesses
* {{flagicon, United States John Kerry
* {{flagicon, United States Thomas A. Shannon Jr.
* {{flagicon, United States Rex Tillerson
* {{flagicon, United States John Sullivan
* {{flagicon, United States Mike Pompeo
* {{flagicon, United States Daniel Bennett Smith
* {{flagicon, United States Antony Blinken
* {{flagicon, United States Robert P. White
* {{flagicon, United States Matthew McFarlane
* {{flagicon, United States Joel B. Vowell
, commander2 = {{Flagdeco, Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant Abu Hafs al-Hashimi al-Qurashi (leader of IS)
{{Flagdeco, Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant Abu al-Hussein al-Husseini al-Qurashi{{KIA
{{Flagdeco, Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant Abu al-Hasan al-Hashimi al-Qurashi{{KIA
{{Flagdeco, Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurashi{{KIA

{{Flagdeco, Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi{{KIA

{{flagicon, Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant Abu Alaa Afri{{KIA
(Deputy Leader of IS)
{{flagicon, Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant Abu Mohammad al-Adnani{{KIA (Spokesperson)
{{Flagdeco, Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant Abu Ayman al-Iraqi{{KIA (Head of Military Shura)
{{Flagdeco, Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant Abu Muslim al-Turkmani{{KIA (Deputy Leader, Iraq)
{{Flagdeco, Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant Abu Ali al-Anbari{{KIA (Deputy Leader, Syria)
{{Flagdeco, Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant Abu Omar al-Shishani{{KIA (Field commander in Syria)

----
{{flagicon image, Flag of Jihad.svg, size=23px Abu Khayr al-Masri{{KIA (al-Qaeda deputy leader){{cite web, url=https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/breaking-al-qaedas-deputy-leader-killed-idlib-drone-strike/, title=BREAKING: Al-Qaeda's deputy leader killed in Idlib drone strike, first=Paul, last=Antonopoulos, date=26 February 2017, access-date=12 December 2017, archive-date=30 June 2019, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190630083731/https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/breaking-al-qaedas-deputy-leader-killed-idlib-drone-strike/, url-status=dead

{{flagicon image, Flag of the Al-Nusra Front (Variant).svg, size=22px Ahmed al-Sharaa (Leader of the al-Nusra Front))

{{flagicon image, Flag of the Al-Nusra Front (Variant).svg, size=22px Abu Humam al-Shami{{KIA
(al-Nusra Military Chief and Leader of Hurras al-Din){{cite web, url=http://aranews.net/2015/03/syrias-qaeda-leader-killed-in-explosion/, title=Syria's Qaeda leader killed in explosion – ARA News, work=ARA News, access-date=31 March 2015, url-status=dead, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150308140014/http://aranews.net/2015/03/syrias-qaeda-leader-killed-in-explosion/, archive-date=8 March 2015, df=dmy-all

{{flagicon image, Flag of Jihad.svg, size=22px Mohammed Islambouli (Leader of Khorasan)

{{flagicon image, Flag of Jihad.svg, size=23px Muhsin al-Fadhli{{KIA (Leader of Khorasan){{cite web, url=http://bnonews.com/news/index.php/news/id935, title=Key al-Qaeda figure Muhsin al-Fadhli killed in U.S. airstrike in Syria – Pentagon, publisher=BNO News, access-date=21 July 2015, archive-date=25 December 2018, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181225121444/http://bnonews.com/news/index.php/news/id935, url-status=dead

{{flagicon image, Flag of Jihad.svg, size=23px David Drugeon{{KIA (chief bombmaker){{cite web, url=https://news.yahoo.com/french-jihadist-drugeon-likely-killed-syria-us-official-171715572.html, title=French jihadist Drugeon killed in Syria: US official, publisher=AFP, date=11 September 2015, access-date=11 September 2015
----
{{flagicon image, Flag of Ahrar ash-Sham.svg, size=23px Abu Yahia al-Hamawi (Emir of Ahrar al-Sham (2015–2017))

{{flagicon image, Flag of Ahrar ash-Sham.svg, size=23px {{flagicon image, , size=23px Abu Jaber Sheikh (Emir of Ahrar al-Sham (2014-2015); Emir of Tahrir al-Sham (2017))

{{flagicon image, , size=23px Ahmed al-Sharaa (Emir of Tahrir al-Sham (2017–2025))
, units1 = Elements of:
* {{army, United States, name=U.S. Army, size=23px{{cite press release , publisher=Combined Joint Task Force, Operation Inherent Resolve , date=15 April 2015 , title=Build Partner Capacity strengthens bonds, armies , author=Sgt. Deja Borden , url=http://www.defense.gov/home/features/2014/0814_iraq/20150413-Build_Partner_Capacity_stengthens_bonds_and_Armies.pdf , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150423023330/http://www.defense.gov/home/features/2014/0814_iraq/20150413-Build_Partner_Capacity_stengthens_bonds_and_Armies.pdf , archive-date=23 April 2015
* {{Nowrap, {{flagcountry, United States Marine Corps, size=23px
* {{flagcountry, United States Navy, size=23px{{cite web, url=http://www.defense.gov/PhotoEssays/PhotoEssaySS.aspx?ID=5755, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141207185420/http://www.defense.gov/PhotoEssays/PhotoEssaySS.aspx?ID=5755, url-status=dead, archive-date=7 December 2014, title=U.S. Department of Defense, Photo Essay., publisher=United States Department of Defense , access-date=29 May 2015
* {{Air force, United States, name=U.S. Air Force, size=23px
* {{Space Force, United States, name=U.S. Space Force, size=23px
* {{Flag, United States Coast Guard, name=U.S. Coast Guard, size=23px
* Coalition Joint Forces Land Component Command-Iraq{{cite news, url=http://www.armytimes.com/story/military/pentagon/2014/12/30/iraq-1st-infantry-funk/21062071/, title=2-star on Iraq: 'Still a big fight going on here', author=Michelle Tan , date=30 December 2014, work=Army Times, access-date=29 May 2015
, units2 = {{flagicon, Islamic State Military of IS
* Wilayat al-Iraq
* Wilayat al-Sham
, strength1 = {{Collapsible list , bullets=yes , title=United States: , 4,400 troops (in Iraq) , 2,500 troops (in Kuwait) , 7,000 contractors , {{USS, George H.W. Bush, CVN-77, 6 carrier strike group , {{USS, Carl Vinson, CVN-70, 6 carrier strike group (replaced USS ''George H.W. Bush'' in late October 2014){{cite news, url=http://homepost.kpbs.org/news/2014/oct/20/uss-carl-vinson-george-bush-airstrikes-iraq-syria/, title=USS Carl Vinson Takes Over Airstrike Campaign From USS George H. W. Bush (Video), publisher=KPBS, access-date=6 December 2014, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141104005704/http://homepost.kpbs.org/news/2014/oct/20/uss-carl-vinson-george-bush-airstrikes-iraq-syria/, archive-date=4 November 2014, url-status=dead, df=dmy-all , {{USS, Theodore Roosevelt, CVN-71, 6 carrier strike group (replaced USS ''Carl Vinson'' in late March 2015, departed in October 2015){{cite news, url=http://www.cnn.com/videos/world/2015/04/13/orig-u-s-ships-pass-through-suez-canal.cnn, title=See U.S. warships head for ISIS fight, date=13 April 2015, publisher=CNN, access-date=29 May 2015{{cite news, url=http://www.cbs8.com/story/28792319/uss-carl-vinson-begins-return-to-san-diego, title=USS ''Carl Vinson'' begins return to San Diego, date=13 April 2015, publisher=CBS 8 , location=San Diego , access-date=29 May 2015 , {{USS, Harry S. Truman, CVN-75, 6 carrier strike group (replaced USS ''Theodore Roosevelt'' in December 2015) , {{USS, Dwight D. Eisenhower, CVN-69, 6 carrier strike group (replaced USS ''Harry S. Truman'' in June 2016, departed in late December 2016) , USS George H. W. Bush carrier strike group (replaced USS ''Dwight D. Eisenhower'' in February 2017) , F-15 Eagle, F-16 Falcon, F/A-18 Hornet, F/A-18 Super Hornet and F-22 Raptor fighter aircraft , AV-8B Harrier II & A-10 Thunderbolt ground-attack aircraft , B-1 Lancer and Boeing B-52 Stratofortress bomber aircraft{{citation needed, date=December 2020 , Lockheed AC-130 gunships , EA-6B Prowler & EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft , Lockheed C-130 Hercules transport aircraft , Lockheed U-2, Northrop Grumman E-8 Joint STARS & Boeing RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft{{cite news, title=How US is Pinpointing ISIS Targets in Air War, url=http://www.ndtv.com/article/world/how-us-is-pinpointing-isis-targets-in-air-war-605116 , publisher=NDTV , agency=Agence France-Presse, date=12 October 2014 , access-date=20 October 2014 , Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker & McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender refueling aircraft , Boeing AH-64 Apache attack helicopters , MH-60M Black Hawk multi-mission helicopters{{cite news, last1=Trevithick, first1=Joseph, title=U.S. Commandos Are Flying Around Iraq, url=https://medium.com/war-is-boring/u-s-commandos-are-flying-around-iraq-83c3ba59d243 , publisher=Medium.com, date=18 November 2014 , access-date=25 November 2014 , MQ-1 Predator & MQ-9 Reaper unmanned ground-attack aircraft , RQ-4 Global Hawk & Lockheed Martin RQ-170 Sentinel unmanned surveillance aircraft ,
North American Rockwell OV-10 Bronco{{cite news , last1=Axe , first1=David , title=Why is America Using These Antique Planes to Fight ISIS? , url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/03/09/why-is-america-using-these-antique-planes-to-fight-isis.html?via=mobile&source=email , website=The Daily Beast , date=9 March 2016 , access-date=9 March 2016
, strength2 = Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant:
* 9,000 to 18,000 (January 2015)
* 20,000 to 200,000 (peak, late 2014)
* 3 MiG-21 or MiG-23 aircraft
* At least 600 tanks
* At least 5 drones
----
al-Qaeda:
* Khorasan: 50
* Jund al-Aqsa: 2,100
----
Islamic Front
* Ahrar al-Sham: 26,000–30,000+{{Cite web, url=https://asiatimes.com/2017/01/syrias-idlib-groomed-islamist-killing-ground/, title=Is Syria's Idlib being groomed as Islamist killing ground?, first=Sami, last=Moubayed, date=29 January 2017, website=Asia Times
Syrian Salvation Government
* Tahrir al-Sham: 50,000+{{cite web, url=http://english.aawsat.com/2017/01/article55366551/syria-surfacing-haiat-tahrir-al-sham-threatens-truce, title=Syria: Surfacing of 'Hai'at Tahrir al-Sham' Threatens Truce – ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English, first=Asharq, last=Al-awsat, date=30 January 2017, access-date=12 December 2017, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170215122504/http://english.aawsat.com/2017/01/article55366551/syria-surfacing-haiat-tahrir-al-sham-threatens-truce, archive-date=15 February 2017, url-status=dead, df=dmy-all
, casualties1 = {{flagu, United States
* 23 hostile deaths{{Cite web , url = https://www.defense.gov/casualty.pdf , website = United States Department of Defense , access-date = 28 November 2023 , title = Casualty Status - 21 Nov 23
* 93 non-hostile Deaths
* 492 {{WIA
* 18 civilians killed
(5 executed{{executed and 1 unknown)
* 1 F-16 crashed and 1 F-15 damaged
* 2 helicopters lost (CH-53 Sea Stallion)
* 4 MQ-1 Predator drones shot down
, casualties2 = {{flagicon, Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant:
* 80,000+ killed by American and allied airstrikes{{cite web, url=http://www.straitstimes.com/world/middle-east/once-promised-paradise-isis-fighters-end-up-in-mass-graves, title=Once promised paradise, ISIS fighters end up in mass graves, publisher=The Straits Times, date=15 October 2017, access-date=11 December 2017
* 32,000+ targets destroyed or damaged (as of 30 September 2016){{cite web, url=http://www.defense.gov/News/Special-Reports/0814_Inherent-Resolve, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150816014249/http://www.defense.gov/News/Special-Reports/0814_Inherent-Resolve, url-status=dead, archive-date=16 August 2015, title=Airstrikes in Iraq and Syria, publisher=US Department of Defense, date=30 September 2016, access-date=21 October 2016
** 164 tanks
** 388 HMMWVs
** 2,638 pieces of oil infrastructure
** 1,000+ fuel tanker trucks
** 2,000+ pick-up trucks, VBIEDs, and other vehicles
(per coalition)
----
{{flagicon image, Flag of Jihad.svg al-Qaeda:
* 298+ killed{{cite web, url=http://www.syriahr.com/en/?p=79228, title=About 3 thousand citizens were killed by the International Coalition warplanes in Syria within about 10700 persons who were killed during 38 months of their military operations in Syria, work=SOHR, date=23 November 2017, access-date=11 December 2017
----
{{flagicon image, Flag of the Islamic Front (Syria).svg Islamic Front
* {{flagicon image, Logo of Ahrar al-Sham.svg Ahrar ash-Sham:
3 killed{{cite web, url=http://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/middle-east/us-led-air-strikes-hit-al-qaeda-affiliate-in-syria-1.1991198, title=US-led air strikes hit al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria, publisher=Reuters, date=6 November 2014, access-date=9 November 2014{{Cite web, url=https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2017/02/pentagon-11-al-qaeda-terrorists-killed-in-airstrikes-near-idlib-syria.php, title=Pentagon: 11 al Qaeda terrorists killed in airstrikes near Idlib, Syria | FDD's Long War Journal, date=8 February 2017, website=www.longwarjournal.org

{{flagicon image, Flag of the Syrian Salvation Government.svg, size=23px Syrian Salvation Government:
* {{flagicon image, , size=23px Tahrir al-Sham:
6 killed
, casualties3 = Tens of thousands of civilians killed by IS (per Iraqi Body Count and SOHR)
Between 8,220 and 13,299 civilians killed by Coalition airstrikes in Syria and Iraq (per Airwars){{cite web, url=https://airwars.org/conflict/coalition-in-iraq-and-syria/, title=US-led Coalition in Iraq & Syria, publisher=Airwars, access-date=19 October 2019

1,437 civilians killed by Coalition Operations (per AirWars)

Over 970,000 civilians in Iraq and Syria displaced, or fled to Turkey and other countries
, campaign = Operation Inherent Resolve

{{Coord missing, Iraq
{{Campaignbox Second Libyan Civil War
{{Campaignbox War in Iraq (2013–2017)
{{Campaignbox Syrian Civil War

Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR) is the United States (U.S.) military's operational name for the international war against the Islamic State (IS)—a group also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) or its Arab acronym "Daesh"—including both a campaign in Iraq and a campaign in Syria, with a closely related campaign in Libya. Through 18 September 2018, the U.S. Army's III Armored Corps was responsible for Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF—OIR) and were replaced by the XVIII Airborne Corps. The campaign is primarily waged by American and British forces in support of local allies, most prominently the Iraqi security forces and Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Combat ground troops, mostly special forces, infantry, and artillery have also been deployed, especially in Iraq. Of the airstrikes, 70% have been conducted by the military of the United States, 20% by the United Kingdom and the remaining 10% being carried out by France, Turkey, Canada, the Netherlands, Denmark, Belgium, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Australia and Jordan.

According to the Pentagon, by March 2019, the day of the territorial defeat in Syria of IS, CJTF-OIR and its partner forces had liberated nearly 110,000 square kilometers (42,471 square miles) of land and 7.7 million people from IS, the vast majority of the self-proclaimed caliphate's territory and subjects. By October 2017, around the time of IS's territorial defeat in Iraq, CJTF-OIR claimed that around 80,000 IS militants had been killed by it and its allies (excluding those targeted by Russian and Syrian Air Force strikes). By the end of August 2019, it had conducted 34,573 strikes. Tens of thousands more were killed by partner forces on the ground (the SDF alone claimed to have killed 25,336 IS fighters by the end of 2017).

Background

The United States relied on a combination of legal frameworks to justify its use of force against ISIS in Iraq and Syria, namely: military assistance on request, self-defence under Article 51 of the United Nations (UN) Charter, and the "unwilling or unable" doctrine.United Nations Security Council. ''Letter dated 23 September 2014 from the Permanent Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General''. 23 September 2014
S/2014/695
However, this legal reasoning was not unanimously accepted by other coalition members, resulting in differing geographic scopes of operation—some states restricted their involvement to Iraq, while others also conducted operations in Syria.{{Cite journal , last=Gill , first=Terry D. , date=2016 , title=Classifying the conflict in Syria , journal=International Law Studies , volume=92 , issue=1 , page=361{{Cite journal , last=Stegmiller , first=Ignaz , date=2015 , title=The Right of Self-Defence under Article 51 of the UN Charter against the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant , url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/24868696 , journal=Die Friedens-Warte , volume=90 , issue=3/4 , pages=245–282 , jstor=24868696 , issn=0340-0255 Moreover, these justifications continue to be the subject of legal debate among scholars.{{Cite journal , last=Abraksia , first=Nicholas , date=2024 , title=The Killing of Ayman al-Zawahiri: On Its Legality and Why the U.N. Should Clarify the "Unable or Unwilling" Doctrine , url=https://scholarlycommons.law.case.edu/jil/vol56/iss1/24/ , journal=Case Western Reserve Journal of International Law , volume=56 , issue=1 , pages=545 , issn=0008-7254

Legal basis under international law

{{Main, International law, Use of force in international law
{{Further information, United Nations, Charter of the United Nations, Chapter I of the United Nations Charter, Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter{{See also, Law of war
International law prohibits the use of force against another state, as provided in Article 2(4) of the UN Charter. However, there are two exceptions to 'violate' this legal prohibition, which is through authorisation of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), as stated in Article 42 of the UN Charter, and in self-defence, in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter.

Military assistance on request

{{Further information, Sources of international law, Territory of the Islamic State
Military assistance provided at the request of a state does not require UN authorisation nor the invocation of Article 51, as it falls within a state’s sovereign right under customary international law to request such assistance and does not necessarily entail the use of force. As such, it does not constitute a 'violation' of the prohibition on the use of force. However, in order to remain within the legal framework of military assistance—rather than constituting an intervention that breaches the prohibition on the use of force—the inviting state determines the scale and scope of the intervening force, as the operation's sole purpose is to provide assistance to the inviting sovereignty. Furthermore, the inviting state cannot legally authorise the use of force on foreign territory, as this would violate Article 2(4) of the UN Charter, therefore, military assistance on request is confined to the borders of the inviting state.{{Cite journal , last=Deeks , first=Ashley , date=August 23, 2014 , title=U.S. Airstrikes Against ISIS in Syria? Possible International Legal Theories , url=https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/us-airstrikes-against-isis-syria-possible-international-legal-theories , journal=Lawfare , language=en

In 2014, the Iraqi government submitted two formal letters to the UNSC, requesting military assistance in response to the ongoing threat posed by ISIS along its borders.United Nations Security Council. ''Letter dated 25 June 2014 from the Permanent Representative of Iraq to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary General''. 25 June 2014
S/2014/440
United Nations Security Council. ''Letter dated 20 September 2014 from the Permanent Representative of Iraq to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council''. 22 September 2014
S/2014/691
/ref> Several states participating in OIR acted solely on the basis of this request, thereby limiting their operations to Iraqi territory, as the Iraqi government had no legal authority to authorise military action on Syrian soil. By responding exclusively to Iraq’s request, the scale and scope of the foreign military presence was determined through agreements with the Iraqi authorities and remained confined within Iraq’s borders, despite ISIS maintaining a stronghold in eastern Syria. The Obama administration relied on this legal framework—military assistance upon request—to justify its operations within Iraq. However, as Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had not granted consent for foreign military intervention, an alternative legal basis was required to justify military action against ISIS in Syria.

Additionally, scholars such as Ashley Deeks have argued that the U.S. tends to avoid relying on military assistance upon request as a legal framework, as such operations are entirely dependent on the level of consent granted by the inviting state and could require the U.S. to withdraw its forces should that state revoke its request.

Article 51: Individual or Collective Self-defence

{{Main, Self-defence in international law
To justify its operations within Syria, the United States invoked Article 51 of the UN Charter, citing the principle of collective self-defence on behalf of Iraq. This was based on the Iraqi government’s request for a U.S.-led international campaign against ISIS. Simultaneously, the United States also invoked the right of individual self-defence, referencing the threat posed by ISIS to its own national security.

Article 51 of the UN Charter provides the "inherent right of individual or collective self-defence if an armed attack occurs against a Member of the United Nations". In 1986, during the '' Nicaraqua v. United States case'', the International Court of Justice (ICJ) spelled out several pre-conditions for the lawful invocation of Article 51:

# A state may only invoke individual self-defence if it has been the victim of an 'armed attack';
# Collective self-defence requires a victim state to declare itself as such and to formally request collective measures from other states;
# Any invocation of Article 51 must be reported to the UNSC.

In its letters to the UN Security Council, the Iraqi government formally requested military assistance in response to an armed attack against its sovereignty. Moreover, given that ISIS-controlled territory extended across a significant area spanning both Iraq and Syria, the Iraqi government argued that, in order to neutralise the threat posed by ISIS to Iraq, it was necessary to eradicate the group entirely—including through military operations on Syrian territory under ISIS control. Based on this request, in which Iraq declared itself a 'victim' of an armed attack, the Obama administration announced the invocation of collective self-defence on Iraq’s behalf against ISIS, via a letter submitted to the Security Council. By doing so, the necessary conditions for a lawful invocation of Article 51 were met.

However, according to the ICJ, extraterritorial self-defensive operations against a non-state actor within the territory of a host state require the consent of that state’s government, unless the conduct of the non-state actor can be legally attributed to it. This condition was not fulfilled in the case of Syria, as President Assad was actively engaged in fighting ISIS and, moreover, had neither granted consent to the U.S. nor received any formal request to permit military operations on Syrian soil.Ljuslin, Linda (2019).
The temporal scope of Unwilling or Unable : a case study on Syria
" ''Swedish Defence University.'' BA Dissertation, supervised by Dr. Heather Harrison Dinniss, p. 8. Consequently, despite invoking Article 51, the Obama administration continued to face legal challenges in justifying its military actions against ISIS in Syria.

Unwilling or unable doctrine

To address these legal challenges and justify its operations against ISIS in Syria, the United States, in its letter to the UNSC, also invoked the "unwilling or unable" doctrine. It accused the Syrian regime of both an inability and unwillingness to prevent ISIS from using Syrian territory to launch attacks against Iraq. According to the 'unwilling or unable' doctrine, a state has a responsibility to eliminate threats originating from within its borders. If it is deemed 'unable'—for instance, due to insufficient military capability—or 'unwilling', due to a lack of political will or action, the international community may assume the responsibility of neutralising the threat posed by non-state actors operating within the hosting state’s territory.

However, although the 'unwilling or unable' doctrine was invoked by several states participating in OIR to justify their involvement, it remains without clear legal standing under international law. Moreover, some scholars have questioned the applicability of the term 'unwilling', noting that the Assad regime was actively engaged in combat against ISIS.{{Cite book , last=Tibori-Szabó , first=Kinga , url=http://link.springer.com/10.1007/978-94-6265-088-6 , title=Fundamental Rights in International and European Law , date=2016 , publisher=T.M.C. Asser Press , isbn=978-94-6265-086-2 , editor-last=Paulussen , editor-first=Christophe , location=The Hague , page=94 , language=en , chapter=The ‘Unwilling or Unable’ Test and the Law of Self-defence , doi=10.1007/978-94-6265-088-6 , editor-last2=Takacs , editor-first2=Tamara , editor-last3=Lazić , editor-first3=Vesna , editor-last4=Van Rompuy , editor-first4=Ben Despite public expressions of willingness by the Syrian government to cooperate in efforts to defeat ISIS, the U.S. maintained that, due to the Assad regime’s failure to eliminate ISIS within Syrian territory, it was not obligated to seek permission for conducting military operations on Syrian soil.

Despite these questions concerning its validity, the Obama administration used the ‘unwilling or unable’ doctrine to justify the military intervention against ISIS in Syria. By doing so, this doctrine became an extension of the invocation of self-defence by the U.S., to make self-defensive action in Syria justified as response to the armed attacks perpetrated by ISIS performed from Syrian soil.

History

{{Further, American-led intervention in Iraq (2014–2021), American-led intervention in the Syrian Civil War, American intervention in Libya (2015–2019)

2014

{{Further, Timeline of the American-led intervention in the Syrian Civil War#2014, American-led intervention in Iraq (2014–2021)#Obama's decision for airstrikes
Unlike their coalition partners, and unlike previous combat operations, no name was initially given to the conflict against IS by the U.S. government. The decision to keep the conflict nameless drew considerable media criticism.

The U.S. decided in October 2014 to name its military efforts against IS as "Operation Inherent Resolve"; the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) news release announcing the name noted that:

{{Blockquote, According to CENTCOM officials, the name INHERENT RESOLVE is intended to reflect the unwavering resolve and deep commitment of the U.S. and partner nations in the region and around the globe to eliminate the terrorist group ISIL and the threat they pose to Iraq, the region and the wider international community. It also symbolizes the willingness and dedication of coalition members to work closely with our friends in the region and apply all available dimensions of national power necessary—diplomatic, informational, military, economic—to degrade and ultimately destroy ISIL.

The US Defense Department announced at the end of October 2014 that troops operating in support of Operation Inherent Resolve after 15 June were eligible for the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal.

By 4 December 2014, three U.S. service members had died from accidents or non-combat injuries.

2015

In November 2015, Commodore Captain Augustus Bennett commanding the USS Kearsarge (LHD-3) Amphibious Ready Group entered the 5th Fleet AOR in conjunction with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit under the command of Colonel Robert Fulford, consisting of the, USS Arlington (LPD-24) and USS Oak Hill (LSD-51) to commence airstrikes on IS. Prior to this, the ARG rendezvoused with the Turkish Navy for Egemen 2015. They concluded their OIR mission on March 10 with a total of 130 sorties and 60 strikes.

{{Further, Timeline of the American-led intervention in the Syrian Civil War#2015, American-led intervention in Iraq (2014–2021)#2015
{{See also, Operation Tidal Wave II
On 22 October 2015, a U.S. Master Sergeant, Joshua Wheeler, was killed in action when he, with about 30 other U.S. special operations soldiers and a Peshmerga unit, conducted a prison break near Hawija in the disputed territories of Northern Iraq, in which about 70 hostages were rescued, five IS members were captured and "a number" were killed or wounded. Sergeant First Class Thomas Payne was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the operation. The Kurdistan Regional Government said after the raid that none of the 15 prisoners it was intended to rescue were found.

From May, North American Rockwell OV-10 Broncos joined the operation, flying more than 120 combat sorties over 82 days. It is speculated they provided close air support for special forces missions. The experiment ended satisfactorily, but a US Air Force spokesman stated it remains unlikely they will invest in reactivating the OV-10 on a regular basis because of the overhead cost of operating an additional aircraft type.

2016

{{Further, Timeline of the American-led intervention in the Syrian Civil War#2016, American-led intervention in Iraq (2014–2021)#2016
By 9 March 2016, nearly 11,000 airstrikes had been launched on IS (and occasionally Al-Nusra), killing over 27,000 fighters and striking over 22,000 targets, including 139 tanks, 371 Humvees, and 1,216 pieces of oil infrastructure. Approximately 80% of these airstrikes have been conducted by American forces, with the remaining 20% being launched by other members of the coalition, such as the United Kingdom and Australia. 7,268 strikes hit targets in Iraq, while 3,602 hit targets in Syria. On 12 June 2016, it was reported that 120 IS leaders, commanders, propagandists, recruiters and other high-value individuals were killed so far this year.

Until March 2016, U.S. military members were ineligible for Campaign Medals and other service decorations due to the continuing ambiguous nature of the continuing U.S. involvement in Iraq. However, on 30 March 2016, U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter announced the creation of a new medal, named " Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal".

On 3 June 2016, aircraft flying from the {{USS, Harry S. Truman in the Mediterranean Sea began airstrikes on IS. On 16 June 2016, AV-8B II+ Harriers of the 13th MEU flying from the {{USS, Boxer, LHD-4, 6 in the Persian Gulf also began airstrikes on IS, marking the first time the U.S. Navy used ship-based aircraft from both the Mediterranean and the Persian Gulf at the same time during Operation Inherent Resolve.

By 27 July 2016, U.S. and coalition partners had conducted more than 14,000 airstrikes in Iraq and Syria: Nearly 11,000 of those strikes were from U.S. aircraft and the majority of the strikes (more than 9,000) were in Iraq. Of the 26,374 targets hit, nearly 8,000 were against IS fighting positions, while approximately 6,500 hit buildings; IS staging areas and oil infrastructure were each hit around 1,600 times. On 15 December 2016, the U.K. Defense Secretary Michael Fallon said that "more than 25,000 Daesh fighters have now been killed," a number that was half of the United States' estimate. When asked about this discrepancy, the UK's Ministry of Defense said that it stood by his estimate.{{cite news, title=UK puts number of ISIS fighters killed at half US figure, url=http://www.cnn.com/2016/12/16/politics/uk-us-number-isis-fighters-killed/, work=CNN, author=Ryan Browne, date = 16 December 2016

Since the first U.S. airstrikes on IS targets in Iraq on 8 August 2014, over two years, the U.S. military has spent over $8.4 billion fighting IS.

BBC News reported in 2017 that according to the American think tank Council on Foreign Relations, in 2016 alone, the U.S. dropped 12,192 bombs in Syria and 12,095 in Iraq.

Operation Odyssey Lightning

From August to December 2016, the U.S. conducted another similar operation in Libya, code-named '' Operation Odyssey Lightning'', during the battle to capture Sirte, which was the local capital of IS's Libyan branch. In September 2017, the US Africa Command announced that 495 precision airstrikes were carried out and 800 to 900 IS fighters were killed during the operation in Sirte between 1 August and 19 December 2016. On 18 January 2017, US B-2 bombers bombed two IS camps to the south of Sirte, killing ninety IS militants.

2017

{{Further, Timeline of the American-led intervention in the Syrian Civil War#2017, American-led intervention in Iraq (2014–2021)#2017
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Coalition airstrikes have killed 7,043 people across Syria, of which: 5,768 dead were IS fighters, 304 Al-Nusra Front militants and other rebels, 90 government soldiers and 881 civilians. The air strikes occurred in the period between 22 September 2014 and 23 January 2017.

In March 2017, various media outlets reported that conventional forces from the 11th MEU, as well as special operations forces in the form of the 75th Ranger Regiment deployed to Syria to support U.S.-backed forces in liberating Raqqa from IS occupation. The deployment marked an escalation in the U.S. intervention in Syria.

By 28 February, the Coalition had conducted 3,271 sorties in 2017, 2,129 of which resulted in at least one weapon released. In total, the coalition released 7,040 weapons in Iraq and Syria in this same time period in an effort to destroy IS.

As of 9 August 2017, coalition aircraft flew a total of 167,912 sorties, and conducted 13,331 strikes in Iraq and 11,235 strikes in Syria, for a total of 24,566 strikes.

2018

{{Further, Timeline of the American-led intervention in the Syrian Civil War#2018, American-led intervention in Iraq (2014–2021)#2018
In February 2018, the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division was awarded a campaign streamer following its deployment to Iraq. In May 2016, the brigade deployed to advise and assist, train and equip Iraqi security forces to fight the Islamic State of Iraq. The 2nd Brigade also conducted precision surface-to-surface fires and supported a multitude of intelligence and logistical operations for coalition and Iraqi forces. They also provided base security throughout more than twelve areas of operations. The Brigade also aided in the clearance of IS from Fallujah, the near elimination of suicide attacks in Baghdad, and the introduction of improved tactics that liberated more than 100 towns and villages. The 2nd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division also played a significant role in the liberation of Mosul.

2019

{{Further, Timeline of the American-led intervention in the Syrian Civil War#2019, American-led intervention in Iraq (2014–2021)#2019
In early 2019, the US-led coalition focused on the final assault on ISIS in the Euphrates pocket, including the Battle of Baghuz Fawqani in the first quarter of the year. Civilian human shields held by ISIS were among the victims, including in one reported massacre on 19 March in which up to 300 civilians, including 45 children, were alleged to have been killed by Coalition forces.

From 8 August 2014, to 29 August 2019, coalition aircraft conducted a total of 34,573 strikes.{{Cite web, url=https://www.inherentresolve.mil/Media-Library/News-Releases/Article/1971680/combined-joint-task-force-operation-inherent-resolve-monthly-civilian-casualty/, title=Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve Monthly Civilian Casualty Report, date=26 September 2019, website=Operation Inherent Resolve, language=en-US, access-date=2019-10-19, archive-date=29 June 2022, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220629031317/https://www.inherentresolve.mil/Media-Library/News-Releases/Article/1971680/combined-joint-task-force-operation-inherent-resolve-monthly-civilian-casualty/, url-status=dead

On 27 October 2019, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was killed during the Barisha raid in Idlib Governorate.

On 31 December 2019, the CJTF-OIR reported its forces were "closely monitoring the current situation of the protests at the US Embassy in Baghdad", adding that they were "taking the appropriate force protection measures to ensure S Embassy personnelsafety".

2020

{{Further, Timeline of the American-led intervention in the Syrian Civil War#2020, American-led intervention in Iraq (2014–2021)#2020
CJTF-OIR paused all training and anti-ISIS operations on 5 January 2020, to focus on protecting Iraqi bases hosting Coalition troops in the wake of several rocket attacks. This action was also linked to the anticipated response against Coalition forces in the wake of the killing of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani. In March 2020, the U.S. military started to withdraw from various bases in Iraq.

2021

{{Further, Timeline of the American-led intervention in the Syrian civil war#2021, American-led intervention in Iraq (2014–2021)#2021
{{Update section, date=July 2021
On 31 March 2021, Carrier Air Wing Three launched naval flight operations in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. The USS ''Dwight D. Eisenhower'' and its carrier strike group were expected to lead Task Force 50, which oversees Operation Inherent Resolve's naval strike operations.

2022

{{Further, Timeline of the American-led intervention in the Syrian civil war#2022

2023

On 3 April, U.S. forces killed senior Islamic State leader Khalid 'Aydd Ahmad al-Jabouri, who was allegedly planning attacks in Europe during Easter, in an overnight drone strike on the outskirts of rebel-held town of Killi, Idlib in northwest Syria.

On 9 July, US Central Command announced that a U.S. MQ-9 drone which had been harassed by Russian aircraft for almost two hours had on 7 July killed an ISIS leader called Usamah al-Muhajir, who had been riding his motorcycle on the road linking al-Bab with Bizaah.

On 24 August, the U.S. Military stated that Major General Joel ‘JB’ Vowell had assumed command of anti-ISIS operation also known as Operation Inherent Resolve, from Major General Matthew McFarlane.

On 20 November, the United States Central Command has announced that, in the months of September and October, it has conducted, along with coalition and other partners, a total of 79 operations in Iraq and Syria resulting in 13 ISIS operatives killed and 78 detained.{{Cite web , title=September/October 2023 Month in Review: The Defeat ISIS Mission in Iraq and Syria , url=https://www.centcom.mil/MEDIA/PRESS-RELEASES/Press-Release-View/Article/3599951/septemberoctober-2023-month-in-review-the-defeat-isis-mission-in-iraq-and-syria/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.centcom.mil%2FMEDIA%2FPRESS-RELEASES%2FPress-Release-View%2FArticle%2F3599951%2Fseptemberoctober-2023-month-in-review-the-defeat-isis-mission-in-iraq-and-syria%2F , access-date=2023-12-03 , website=U.S. Central Command , language=en-US{{Cite web , title=September/October 2023 Month in Review: The Defeat ISIS Mission in Iraq and Syria , url=https://twitter.com/CENTCOM/status/1726662297463263622 , access-date=2023-12-03 , website=X (formerly Twitter) , language=en

{, class="wikitable" style="display: inline-table;"
, +Breakdown by country
! rowspan="2" , Country
! colspan="2" , Operations
! colspan="2" , ISIS operatives
, -
!Type
!Count
!Killed
!Detained
, -
, {{Flag, Iraq
, Partnered
, 53
, 10
, 33
, -
, rowspan="2" , {{Flag, Syria
, Partnered
, 23
, rowspan="2" , 3
, rowspan="2" , 45
, -
, US-only
, 3
, +
! colspan="2" , Total
!79
!13
!78

{, class="wikitable" style="display: inline-table;"
, +Breakdown by month
! rowspan="2" , Month
!Operations
! colspan="2" , ISIS operatives
, -
!Count
!Killed
!Detained
, -
, September
, 31
, 8
, 19
, -
, October
, 48
, 5
, 59
, +
!Total
!79
!13
!78

2024

On 30 August, United States Central Command reported that " .S.forces and Iraqi Security Forces conducted a partnered raid in Western Iraq in the early hours of Aug. 29, resulting in the death of 15 ISIS operatives." It was later confirmed that 7 U.S. troopers were injured during the operation.

On 31 December, French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu reported that French forces had carried "targeted strikes against Daech" targets "on Syrian soil", dropping seven bombs on two targets on December 29. Multiple planes and a drone executed the strike off from Prince Hassan Air Base in Jordania.

2025

On 1 January 2025, an American man inspired by ISIS killed 15 people and injured 57 in a truck attack in New Orleans. On January 9, the Islamic State, in the 477th issue of its weekly newsletter "Al-Naba", praised the attack and Jabbar himself, calling on other supporters to follow in his footsteps.

Assets

{{Further, Military intervention against the Islamic State aerial order of battle

United States Air Force, United States Navy & United States Marine Corps units that are participating in this operations can be found in the aerial and ground order of battle.

{{army, United States

U.S. and coalition forces are training Iraqi forces at four sites: in al-Asad in Anbar province, Erbil in the north, and Taji and Besmayah in the Baghdad area.

Combined Joint Forces Land Component Command-Iraq
*{{Flagicon image, Flag of the United States Army 1st Infantry Division.svg, size=23px 1st Infantry Division 1st Cavalry division
Division Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion

*{{Flagicon image, Flag of the U.S. Army 82nd Airborne Division.svg, size=23px 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division (January – September 2015).{{cite web, url=http://www.centcom.mil/en/news/articles/warrior-brigade-assumes-mission-in-iraq, title=Warrior Brigade assumes mission in Iraq, publisher=U.S. Central Command – DoD, access-date=4 December 2015, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150930023044/http://www.centcom.mil/en/news/articles/warrior-brigade-assumes-mission-in-iraq, archive-date=30 September 2015, url-status=dead, df=dmy-all
** 2nd Battalion, 505th Infantry Regiment
*{{Flagicon image, Flag of the U.S. Army 10th Mountain Division.svg, size=23px 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division
*{{Flagicon image, Flag of the U.S. Army 10th Mountain Division.svg, size=23px 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (September 2015 – June 2016).
*{{Flagicon image, Flag of the United States Army 101st Airborne Division.svg, size=23px 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) (June 2016 – January 2017).
** 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment
*{{Flagicon image, Flag of the U.S. Army 82nd Airborne Division.svg, size=23px 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division (January 2017 – October 2017)
** 2nd Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment
*{{Flagicon image, Flag of the United States Army 1st Cavalry Division.svg, size=23px 2nd Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment (January 2017 – October 2017)
* 28th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade, 28th Infantry Division
* 35th Combat Aviation Brigade, 35th Infantry Division (Summer 2018- Summer 2019)
* 3rd Cavalry Regiment (Spring 2018 – Spring 2019){{citation needed, date=December 2023

{{Flagicon image, Flag of the United States Marine Corps.svg United States Marine Corps

* Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF)
* Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force – Crisis Response – Central Command

Military bases

{{See also, List of the United States military installations in Iraq, List of American military installations#Syria joint bases

During the operation in Syria, there were several bases mostly in the north:
{{Div col, colwidth=22em
* Al-Hasakah Governorate
** Ash Shaddadi
** Hasaka Dam
** Kharab al-Jeer{{cite web, url=https://popularresistance.org/us-expands-military-footprint-in-syria-to-eight-base/, title=US Expands Military Footprint in Syria to Eight Bases, website=popularresistance.org, date=6 July 2017 near Al-Malikiyah
** Rmelan (airbase)
** Tal Tamir
** Tell Beydar
* Aleppo Governorate
** Ayn al-Arab
** Dadat (outpost)
** Harab Isk (airbase)
** Sabt (airbase)
** Sarrin
** Ushariya (outpost)
* Deir ez-Zor Governorate
** al-Omar oil fields
** Mission Support Site Conoco
** "Green Village"{{cite news, url=https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2021-03-12/us-troops-syria-civil-war-biden, newspaper=LA Times, title=Inside U.S. troops' stronghold in Syria, a question of how long Biden will keep them there, date=12 March 2021, access-date=11 December 2021
* Homs Governorate
** Al-Tanf
* Raqqa Governorate
** Ayn Issa
** al-Tabqah (airbase)
** Tal al-Samn
{{div col end

However, following the 2019 Turkish offensive into north-eastern Syria, most U.S. soldiers withdrew from northern Syria to western Iraq in October 2019, while even bombing their own Lafarge basement near Harab Isk.

Meanwhile, ''The New York Times'' reported that the Pentagon was planning to "leave 150 Special Operations forces at a base called al-Tanf". In addition, 200 U.S. soldiers would remain in eastern Syria near the oil fields, to prevent the Islamic State, Syrian government and Russian forces from advancing in the region. However, at least 600–900 U.S. Troops are expected to stay in Syria, in Al-Hasakah and Deir ez-Zor Governorates. In July 2020, the U.S. military built a new base including an airport, located between Um Kahif village and Tal Alu silos near Al-Yaarubiyah.
On December 19, 2024 the US government released a statement regarding the true size of the US presence to be 2000 troops.

Casualties

According to Airwars, in 2014 there were 63 incidents involving the US-led coalition in Iraq and Syria in which there were civilian casualties, causing at least 160 civilian deaths. In 2015, there were 268 incidents and 708 deaths. In 2016, there were 483 incidents and 1,372 deaths. Civilian casualties peaked in 2017, with 1,841 incidents and at least 4,677 civilian deaths.{{Cite web , title=Annual Report 2019 , url=https://airwars.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/2019-Annual-Report-Web.pdf , url-status=live , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231126113609/https://airwars.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/2019-Annual-Report-Web.pdf , archive-date=26 November 2023 , website=airwars.org , page=8

According to Airwars, 1,472 civilians were killed by the U.S. air campaign in Iraq and Syria in March 2017 alone. On 17 March, a U.S.-led coalition airstrike in Mosul killed more than 200 civilians. Data compiled by Airwars shows that 229 strikes in Iraq and 878 strikes in Syria were carried out by Coalition forces in June 2017, killing an alleged total of 1,483 people. The reporting of 875 of those total alleged deaths is contested. In July 2017, Airwars recorded reports of an alleged 1,342 people were killed in Iraq and Syria by Coalition airstrikes. Of the allegations 812 were contested, and two were disproved.

Casualty figures fell after the 2017 peak. According to Airwars, 2018 saw 192 incidents and 846 deaths; 2019 saw 72 incidents and 467 deaths. In 2019, the casualties were concentrated in the first quarter during the Battle of Baghuz Fawqani including an alleged massacre of civilian human shields on 19 March.

By 2020, Airwars had recorded a five-year total of 14,771 US-led Coalition strikes in Iraq and 19,829 in Syria and investigated 2,921 alleged civilian casualty incidents, estimating 8,259–13,135 civilian deaths, of whom around 2,000 were children, although the Coalition itself estimated just 1,377 or 1,417 civilian deaths.{{cite web , title=US-led Coalition in Iraq & Syria , website=Airwars , date=2020-01-20 , url=https://airwars.org/conflict/coalition-in-iraq-and-syria/ , access-date=2020-08-05{{Cite news , last=Levenson , first=Michael , date=2021-12-18 , title=What to Know About the Civilian Casualty Files , language=en-US , work=The New York Times , url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/18/us/airstrikes-civilian-casualty-files-pentagon.html , access-date=2023-01-20 , issn=0362-4331

''The New York Times'' reported that efforts to minimize and count civilian deaths fell far short of the approach promised by the US military for its use of airstrikes in the war against IS. The newspaper reported that airstrikes against IS, as well as in the war in Afghanistan, was marked by "flawed intelligence, poor targeting and thousands of civilian deaths." It also reported that efforts to minimize civilian casualties diminished after President Trump assumed office in 2017, stating "... the authority to approve strikes was pushed further down the chain of command, even as an overwhelming majority of strikes were carried out in the heat of war, and not planned far in advance." Finally, the paper reported that the US military systematically under-reported casualties, providing a total death count of 1,417, when the actual count was significantly higher. The report states that the military made little effort to accurately determine civilian casualties after the airstrikes. The military was also reluctant to divulge information about the casualties, in spite of promises of transparency, and news media were required to make numerous requests under the Freedom of Information Act, and had to repeatedly sue the US military to produce data.

Talon Anvil

During the years 2014 to 2019, an Air Force special operations group named Talon Anvil killed a significant number of non-combatant civilians, and often failed to follow US military protocols designed to minimize civilian casualties.{{Cite news , last1=Philipps , first1=Dave , last2=Schmitt , first2=Eric , last3=Mazzetti , first3=Mark , date=2021-12-12 , title=Civilian Deaths Mounted as Secret Unit Pounded ISIS , url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/12/us/civilian-deaths-war-isis.html , access-date=2024-07-04 , work=The New York Times , language=en-US , issn=0362-4331 In one particular strike, the March 2019 Baghuz airstrike, approximately 50 women and children were killed, and the Air Force subsequently covered the deaths up.{{Cite news , last1=Philipps , first1=Dave , last2=Schmitt , first2=Eric , date=2021-11-13 , title=How the U.S. Hid an Airstrike That Killed Dozens of Civilians in Syria , url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/13/us/us-airstrikes-civilian-deaths.html , access-date=2024-07-04 , work=The New York Times , language=en-US , issn=0362-4331 The Talon Anvil group operated under the auspices of Task Force 9, which was the US military unit responsible for ground operations in the war against IS in Syria. The group consisted of about twenty plainclothes military personnel that operated out of anonymous office buildings in Iraq and Syria. In December 2021, the US Secretary of Defense ordered an investigation into the civilian deaths caused by Talon Anvil's bombing strikes.

See also

* Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve, commander headquarters of ongoing operations
** Military intervention against the Islamic State aerial order of battle
* German intervention against the Islamic State, also named ''Operation Counter Daesh'', related German operations
* Opération Chammal, name for similar French operations
* Operation Impact, name for similar Canadian operations
* Operation Martyr Yalçın, name for similar Turkish operation against IS
* Operation Okra, name for similar Australian operations
* Operation Shader, name for similar British operations
* Operation Tidal Wave II, name of a suboperation against IS oil infrastructure

References

{{Reflist, 30em

Further reading

Books
* {{cite book , title=Degrade and Destroy: The Inside Story of the War Against the Islamic State, from Barack Obama to Donald Trump , last=Gordon , first=Michael R. , year=2022 , publisher=Farrar, Straus and Giroux , location=New York , isbn=978-0374279899
* {{cite book , title=The US War Against ISIS: How America and its Allies Defeated the Caliphate , last=Stein , first=Aaron , year=2022 , publisher=I.B. Tauris & Company, Limited , location=London , isbn=9780755634828
* {{cite book , series=Project Air Force , title=The Air War Against the Islamic State: The Role of Airpower in Operation Inherent Resolve , last1=Wasser , first1=Becca , last2=Pettyjohn, first2=Stacie L. , last3=Martini , first3=Jeffrey , last4=Evans , first4=Alexandra T. , last5=Mueller , first5=Karl P. , last6=Edenfield , first6=Nathaniel , last7=Tarini , first7=Gabrielle , last8=Haberman , first8=Ryan , last9=Zeman , first9=Jalen , year=2021, publisher=RAND Corporation , location=Santa Monica, Calif. , url = https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA388-1.html , isbn=978-1-9774-0605-7
* {{cite book , series=U.S. Army Campaigns in Iraq , last=Watson , first=Mason W. , title=The Conflict with ISIS: Operation Inherent Resolve, June 2014-January 2020 , place=Washington, D.C. , url = https://history.army.mil/catalog/pubs/78/78-2.html , archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220128080145/https://history.army.mil/catalog/pubs/78/78-2.html , url-status = dead , archive-date = 28 January 2022 , publisher=U.S. Army Center of Military History , year=2021

External links

{{Commons category, Operation Inherent Resolve

Operation Inherent Resolve
– Official Website

Global Coalition
– Official Website

Air Superiority Under 2000 Feet: Lessons From Waging Drone Warfare Against ISIL

{{Military intervention against ISIL
{{Post-Cold War Asian conflicts
{{Presidency of Barack Obama
{{First presidency of Donald Trump
{{Presidency of Joe Biden
{{Authority control

2010s in Syria
Battles involving the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
Counterterrorism in the United States
Foreign policy of the Barack Obama administration
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and the United States
Military operations of the War in Iraq (2013–2017) involving the United States
Military operations of the Syrian civil war involving the United States
Operations involving special forces
Presidency of Barack Obama
First presidency of Donald Trump
Presidency of Joe Biden