US Warplanes Drop 40 Tons of Bombs on ‘IS-Infested’ Iraqi Island

Video Editor: Varun Sharma

The United States-led coalition bombed Qanus Island, in Iraq’s Saladin province, which they claim was 'IS-infested', on Tuesday, 10 September. A spokesperson for the coalition said that the strike led by F15 and F35 fighter jets, levelling the island with nearly 40,000 kilograms of bombs.

قوات جهاز مكافحة الأرهاب و قوة المهام المشتركة أشداء في سعيهم وراء داعش. هذا الصباح ، نفذنا ضربات جوية صارمة للقضاء على داعش في جزيرة قنص.The @iraqiCTS and @CJTFOIR are relentless in our pursuit of #Daesh. #F35 #F15 Today, we bombed Qanus Island to eliminate ISIS pic.twitter.com/eLOT86ljQt

— OIR Spokesman Col. Myles B. Caggins III (@OIRSpox) September 10, 2019

“The @CJTFOIR coordinated this air strike with the Iraqi Security Forces. The Qanus Island air strike demonstrates our continued partnership to enable ISF keep its boot on the forehead of ISIS.” ~@OIRSpox

— OIR Spokesman Col. Myles B. Caggins III (@OIRSpox) September 10, 2019

A video released by the military showed massive explosions, creating mushroom clouds billowing from the island that appeared to have been subjected to carpet bombing.

Tuesday's attack is part of operations carried out by Iraqi forces and the US-led coalition against IS, which was defeated in Iraq in 2017.

IS sleeper cells have since carried out deadly bombings in Iraq.

IS controlled large swathes of Syria and Iraq where they declared a caliphate in 2014.

According to The Independent, such bombings have been a rare occurrence in the region since the caliphate was defeated earlier this year. However they also note that group has been regrouping in certain parts, similar to their 'meteoric rise in 2014'.