U.S. Central Command (Centcom) said on Nov. 4 that the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) is now capable of conducting its own independent airstrikes on enemy forces.
The announcements mark “a major milestone in Iraq’s transition to assuming a leading role in regional operations,” Centcom said in a statement.
Centcom said the U.S.-led coalition task force, dubbed Operation Inherent Resolve, approved of the ISF’s strike capabilities during a final live-fire exercise in Iraq.
“ISF personnel successfully completed the targeting cycle under adverse, real-world conditions, demonstrating targeting proficiency without support from U.S. or Coalition personnel,” Centcom said.
The coalition task force said in a post on X: “Iraqi Security Forces now fully certified for independent airstrikes! After 8 weeks of rigorous training with @CJTFOIR, ISF achieved 100% target hits using F-16s & AC-208s—marking a historic step toward @ArmedForcesIQ self-reliance against ISIS.”…