Iran confirms air strikes in Iraq against ISIL – Guardian
Iran carried out air strikes in Iraq hitting ISIL fighters positions at the request of Iraqi authorities.
Iran confirmed the airstrikes and states that they were carried out to safeguard the defense of the interests of Iran’s friends in Iraq
Iran also states that the air strikes were not coordinated with the US. However, intelligence analysts view this as a smoke-screen since the possibility of conflict is high if a un-identified aircraft entered Iraqi airspace when US and its allies are using it. There has to be some level of coordination, argues David James, a defense and security intelligence analysts at SIS East Africa.The airstrikes were conducted using Iran’s F-4 Phantom jets. The targets were ISIS positions in Iraqi province of Diyala, which borders Iran.
Diyala is an ethnically mixed province, where the Iraqi army, backed by Kurdish Peshmerga and Shi’ite militias drove ISIL out of several towns and villages last month.
