US Central Command stated that coalition military forces carried out three air strikes in Syria, as well as 15 in Iraq, targeting Islamic State targets.
In Syria, forces targeted areas near:
- Al Hasakah, where two airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL armored personnel carrier.
- Dayr Az Zawr, where one airstrike struck an ISIL crude oil collection point.
Australian officers were involved in the Syrian strikes, alongside Bahrain, Canada, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and the US.
Defence Minister Kevin Andrews said an Australian hornet fighter aircraft destroyed an armored personnel carrier with a precision guided missile.
Mr Andrews confirmed that the strike was carried out on Monday.
"This is part of our logical extension in the fight against Daesh to operate not just over northern Iraq, but also to operate over eastern Syria in order to degrade and destroy the Daesh forces," he said.
"... We don't normally announce the missions that occur almost on a daily basis. On this occasion, I was planning to make a ministerial statement, which is a six-monthly update of our operations in the Middle East."
