The Defense Department on Wednesday evening released video of a series of airstrikes targeting fuel trucks operated by the Islamic State group.
The Pentagon video — which refers to the Islamic State group as "Daesh," a derogatory Arabic term for the militant group — said the strikes took place Monday near Abu Kamal, Syria, as part of Operation Inherent Resolve.
In a news briefing Wednesday, Inherent Resolve spokesman Army Col. Steve Warren said the strikes destroyed 116 tanker trucks.
The video showed bombs exploding at the beginning and end, Warren said, and strafing runs from A-10 Thunderbolts and C-130s.
"This is our first strike against tanker trucks, and to minimize risks to civilians, we conducted a leaflet drop prior to the strike," Warren said. "We did a show of force by, we had aircraft essentially buzz the trucks at low altitude."
Warren said the leaflets, which were dropped about 45 minutes before the airstrikes began, said, "Get out of your trucks now, and run away from them."
Because the truck drivers were assumed to be civilians, Warren said the military created the leaflets to "shoo people away without harming them."
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Rep. Martha McSally, R-Ariz., said in a Wednesday statement that the strikes show why the A-10 is crucial, and should not be divested.
"A-10s are again demonstrating their lethality and irreplaceable role in our military when our country needs it most," McCain and McSally said. "We will continue to do everything we can to prevent the Air Force from prematurely retiring this vital aircraft."
The U.S. and its allies are increasing their targeting of the militant group's oil revenue following the Nov. 13 terrorist attacks in Paris, which killed 129 people. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attacks.
The strikes against Islamic State oil infrastructure have been dubbed Operation Tidal Wave II. The original Operation Tidal Wave took place in 1943 and targeted German oil refineries in Romania with low-level bombing runs.
Warren said the coalition's first airstrikes against oil infrastructure hit parts that were easily repaired. After review, officials instead decided to strike at the distribution network. But because the truck drivers were assumed to be civilians, Warren said the military created the leaflets to "shoo people away without harming them."
EDS: Not sure how to embed the video, but it's at this address: https://www.facebook.com/DeptofDefense/videos/10153823084090719/?__mref=message_bubble
Stephen Losey is the air warfare reporter for Defense News. He previously covered leadership and personnel issues at Air Force Times, and the Pentagon, special operations and air warfare at Military.com. He has traveled to the Middle East to cover U.S. Air Force operations.
