By NIGEL PITTAWAY
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA — Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott announced Friday that Royal Australian Air Force F/A-18F Super Hornets will begin striking Islamic State (IS) targets in Iraq.
Abbott also said that “subject to final legal documentation,” Australian Army Special Forces will deploy into Iraq to advise and assist Iraqi forces.
The announcement followed a National Security Committee meeting. The Air Force has already deployed six Super Hornets, together with an E-7A Wedgetail airborne early warning and control platform and a KC-30A tanker to Al Minhad Air Base in the UAE on Sept. 24.
On Wednesday, the Air Force began flying support and training missions over Iraq with the Wedgetail and KC-30A, but offensive strike action was dependent upon a request from the Iraqi government and Australian Cabinet approval.
“Today Cabinet has authorized Australian airstrikes in Iraq at the request of the Iraqi government and in support of the Iraqi government,” Abbott said in a news conference.
“I want to stress that only Iraq can defeat ISIL, but Iraq shouldn’t be alone and as far as Australia and our allies are concerned, Iraq won’t be alone.”
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