ERBIL () - Iraqi Air Force F-16 fighter jets destroyed an ISIS hideout in Diyala province in a precision airstrike based on military intelligence and aerial surveillance, Iraq's Security Media Cell said Sunday.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Security Media Cell said the hideout had been identified in the Kati'a area, within the sector of responsibility of the Diyala Operations Command.
The operation followed intelligence gathered by the Directorate of Military Intelligence and continued monitoring by the Aerial Surveillance and Reconnaissance Center operating under the Office of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, according to the statement.
After confirming the location, Iraqi F-16 aircraft struck the hideout with two missiles, destroying the site completely, the Security Media Cell said.
No information was provided on whether ISIS militants were inside the position at the time of the strike or whether there were any casualties.
The Security Media Cell described the operation as part of continuing preemptive efforts by Iraq's armed forces to track down remaining ISIS cells and prevent militants from establishing safe areas from which to operate.
Iraqi security forces have continued intelligence-led operations against ISIS remnants in areas where the group maintains small clandestine cells and hideouts.
The statement said security forces would continue pursuing militants and preventing attempts to undermine the country's security.
The Security Media Cell also warned that Iraqi forces would not allow ISIS members to establish safe havens anywhere in the country.
Sunday's strike underscores the continued reliance on intelligence gathering, aerial surveillance and Iraqi Air Force capabilities in operations targeting the remaining ISIS presence.
Authorities did not disclose further details about the hideout, the identities of any militants believed to have used it, or whether additional operations were underway in the surrounding area.
