Iranian Phantom jet strikes the Islamic State in Iraq - IHS Jane's 360

ShahryarHedayatiSHBA

Active member
An Iranian McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II jet has struck Islamic State targets in the eastern Iraqi province of Diyala, footage shot by regional media shows.

At least one F-4 is seen conducting a bombing run against ground targets in the footage shot by Al Jazeera , which erroneously identified the aircraft as an Iraqi fighter. Iran and Turkey are the only regional operators of the F-4, and the location of the incident not far from the Iranian border, and Turkey's unwillingness to get involved in the conflict militarily, indicate this to be an Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) aircraft.

While the IRIAF is known to have contributed Sukhoi Su-25 'Frogfoot' ground attack aircraft to the fight against the Islamic State in Iraq (ostensibly donated to the Iraqi Air Force, but believed to be crewed by Iranian pilots), this footage is the first visual evidence of direct IRIAF involvement in the conflict.

The Al Jazeera footage, which was shot on 30 November, shows the IRIAF F-4 supporting Iraqi forces retaking the town of Sa'adiya in what was purported to be the government's largest operation against the Islamic State since June. Its release comes weeks after IHS Jane's reported growing evidence of Iranian involvement in the war in Iraq.

Video footage and photographs shown on social media sites have increasingly been showing Iranian military hardware in the hands of Shia militias fighting in Iraq. This hardware includes the 12.7 mm AM-50 anti-materiel rifle, at least one Iranian-made Safir jeep mounted with a 107 mm multiple rocket launcher (MRL), as well as an Iranian 122 mm HM 20 MRL.

COMMENT
While the US-led effort to combat the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria has been widely publicised by the Department of Defense (DoD) and its coalition allies, Iran's involvement has been altogether more opaque.

Iran was the first country to pledge and deliver military support to Iraq when the Islamic State began its offensive earlier in the year. At the time that the first IRIAF Su-25s arrived over Baghdad in late June, there was much speculation that Iran and the United States may come together in some form of joint operation against the Islamic State. However, the recent détente between the two countries is still in its very early stages, and neither side much relished the prospect of military co-operation to such a degree.

As such, there appear to be two parallel military campaigns being waged against the Islamic State, with the United States and its allies conducting their air campaign over Iraq and Syria, and Iran pursuing its own military agenda in Iraq at the same time. So far, this dual approach does appear to be working (at least in terms of de-conflicting the two military campaigns), but should they happen to cross paths over the coming weeks and months it would no doubt muddy still further an already complicated conflict.

http://www.janes.com/article/46514/iranian-phantom-jet-strikes-the-islamic-state-in-iraqg
 
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http://01.00ll00.com/iTube/15973681-Iraqi forces reclaim two key towns from ISIL.mp4
 
An Iranian McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II jet has struck Islamic State targets in the eastern Iraqi province of Diyala, footage shot by regional media shows.

At least one F-4 is seen conducting a bombing run against ground targets in the footage shot by Al Jazeera , which erroneously identified the aircraft as an Iraqi fighter. Iran and Turkey are the only regional operators of the F-4, and the location of the incident not far from the Iranian border, and Turkey's unwillingness to get involved in the conflict militarily, indicate this to be an Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) aircraft.

While the IRIAF is known to have contributed Sukhoi Su-25 'Frogfoot' ground attack aircraft to the fight against the Islamic State in Iraq (ostensibly donated to the Iraqi Air Force, but believed to be crewed by Iranian pilots), this footage is the first visual evidence of direct IRIAF involvement in the conflict.

The Al Jazeera footage, which was shot on 30 November, shows the IRIAF F-4 supporting Iraqi forces retaking the town of Sa'adiya in what was purported to be the government's largest operation against the Islamic State since June. Its release comes weeks after IHS Jane's reported growing evidence of Iranian involvement in the war in Iraq.

Video footage and photographs shown on social media sites have increasingly been showing Iranian military hardware in the hands of Shia militias fighting in Iraq. This hardware includes the 12.7 mm AM-50 anti-materiel rifle, at least one Iranian-made Safir jeep mounted with a 107 mm multiple rocket launcher (MRL), as well as an Iranian 122 mm HM 20 MRL.

COMMENT
While the US-led effort to combat the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria has been widely publicised by the Department of Defense (DoD) and its coalition allies, Iran's involvement has been altogether more opaque.

Iran was the first country to pledge and deliver military support to Iraq when the Islamic State began its offensive earlier in the year. At the time that the first IRIAF Su-25s arrived over Baghdad in late June, there was much speculation that Iran and the United States may come together in some form of joint operation against the Islamic State. However, the recent détente between the two countries is still in its very early stages, and neither side much relished the prospect of military co-operation to such a degree.

As such, there appear to be two parallel military campaigns being waged against the Islamic State, with the United States and its allies conducting their air campaign over Iraq and Syria, and Iran pursuing its own military agenda in Iraq at the same time. So far, this dual approach does appear to be working (at least in terms of de-conflicting the two military campaigns), but should they happen to cross paths over the coming weeks and months it would no doubt muddy still further an already complicated conflict.

http://www.janes.com/article/46514/iranian-phantom-jet-strikes-the-islamic-state-in-iraqg

Anyone working to defeat this murdering band of terrorist has my support. ISIS is-has murdering-murdered thousands of men, women and even children. Some in horrible ways. The sooner this treat is eliminated the better. If Iran is assisting in this effort all the power to them.
 
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