A U.S. Army Apache helicopter gunship for the first time in more than a year fired on an ISIS target in Iraq, a defense official told CNN.
(FOX6Now)- The Apache fired rockets Monday against a vehicle-borne IED south of Mosul — signaling the first acceptance by the Iraqi government of the combat use of Apaches since the accelerated effort by the U.S. military against ISIS.
The Apache mission took place near the town of Qayyarah. U.S. airstrikes in the area support Iraqi, Kurdish and other militia units in their attempt to surround and isolate Mosul.
“I’m going to be careful about how far I go … but they were employed against [an] ISIL target, an ISIL target was struck and the operation,” Defense Secretary Ash Carter told reporters Monday.
“This is the first time that it’s been called into action, and effectively,” he added.
The official said they were last used in October 2014 to protect the Baghdad airport.
The U.S. had been pressing the Iraqi government for months to accept the offer to call in Apaches to help across Iraq in the fight against ISIS. The offer was rejected by the Iraqis in their campaign to retake Ramadi, but the U.S. official said the Iraqi government recently accepted the support.
Isolating Mosul and cutting off ISIS resupply lines in the immediate area is a top priority as the Iraqis try to make progress there, even as they are battling to defeat ISIS in Fallujah, which is located just west of Baghdad.