President Barack Obama authorized on Thursday "targeted airstrikes" against ISIS militants that for weeks have terrorized northern Iraq.
"Today, America is coming to help," the commander in chief said in a Thursday night televised speech as he approved "targeted strikes against [ISIS] convoys" that are making their way towards the city of Erbil, NBC News reported. Obama said he previously warned the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham to leave Erbil alone.
The strikes will also target fighters from the Sunni group that have terrorized nearly 40,000 people, mostly Christians and members of the religious minority Yazidi, that remain trapped on a dry mountaintop on Mount Sinjar. ISIS threatened to kill the refugees if they try to return to their homes.
"These innocent families are faced with a choice- descend and be slaughtered or stay and slowly die of hunger," Obama said. "We can act responsibly to prevent an act of genocide."
Humanitarian aid, including 56 bundles of water and 8,000 prepared meals, has already been airdropped by U.S. military aircraft to the refugees on the mountain, a U.S. defense official told NBC News on Thursday.
Though he authorized the strikes, no troops will be returning to Iraq, Obama said.
"I will not allow the United States to be dragged into fighting another war in Iraq. And so even as we support Iraqis, as they take the fight to these terrorists, American combat troops will not be returning to fight Iraq," Obama said according to ABC News.
The story is developing.
