America and Arab allies launch 50 strikes on terrorist group's Syrian heartland and warns its fanatical leaders 'this is only the beginning'

                      

America and five Arab countries have launched dozens of air strikes against Islamic terrorist group ISIS, killing at least 20 militants and blasting a series of its bases.
The attacks - described as 'shock without awe' - began early this morning local time, with Tomahawk missiles, B1 bombers, F16, F18 and F22 strike fighters and drones involved.
American air power was backed by 'participation or support' from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan and the UAE - a coalition of nations that has agreed to assist with the destruction of ISIS.

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There was also attacks on a separate group of Islamist militants inside Syria - the Al Qaeda-affiliated Al Nusra Front, who were said to have been planning an 'imminent attack on a Western target.
News of the airstrikes comes as ISIS' highly-organized press office released a second propaganda video appearing to feature captured British hostage John Cantlie.
The journalist - wearing a Guantanamo Bay-style orange jumpsuit - is filmed questioning America's preparation for attacks on ISIS, and compares the 'unwinnable' conflict to the Vietnam War.

Air strikes were launched from land bases in the Middle East, while the F18s were launched from the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush, which is in the Persian Gulf.
Tomahawks were fired from the USS Arleigh Burke, a guided missile destroyer in the Red Sea.

Among the targets which reports from social media claimed had been hit were the city's governor's house, national hospital and the Equestrian Club.
One account said 20 of the militant group's fighters had been killed in the strikes.
Other targets were hit in Deir al-Zor province in the north of Syria, where ISIS have gained territory.
And areas held by the al-Qaeda group called Al-Nusra Front in Aleppo and Idlib were also struck, sources said.
Pentagon press secretary Rear Admiral John Kirby said the decision to launch the strikes was made on Monday, only hours before US Air Force and Navy pilots were given their missions and targets.

Kirby said the strikes were ordered by Army General Lloyd Austin, the commander of US forces in the Middle East and South Asia 'under authorisation granted to him by the commander in chief'.
The first strikes began around 8:30 p.m. EDT - 1.30am in the UK and 4.30am in Syria - but the operation was expected to continue for several more hours, according to one U.S. official.
Kirby did not name the partner nations participating in the operation but they are now known to be the five Gulf nations and Jordan.
All of them are majority Sunni, the same branch of Islam as ISIS. Britain and France were not involved in the strikes.
Details of the airstrikes emerged as ISIS released a new propaganda video featuring John Cantlie, in which the captured British journalist criticises preparations for U.S-led attacks on the militant group.
In the five-minute scripted video, Cantlie suggests Barack Obama, long careful to avoid the sort of conflicts his predecessor George Bush pursued, is being sucked into an 'unwinnable war'.
'The president once called George Bush's Iraq conflict a 'dumb war', and couldn't wait to distance America from it when he came into power. Now he's being inextricably drawn back in,' Cantlie says.
'We will provide more details later as operationally appropriate,' Kirby said.









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