The Pentagon confirmed that it gave orders for U.S. and coalition forces to begin airstrikes to help Iraqi forces retake Tikrit.
Col. Steve Warren, a Pentagon spokesman, said the Iraqi government requested coalition support and that operations were ongoing Wednesday.
A statement from the Combined Joint Task Force, the U.S. military command overseeing operations in Iraq, said the coalition was also providing intelligence and assisting Iraqi Security Forces headquarters in the fight against Daesh.
Source: MENA