USS Harry Truman launching strikes against ISIS from Mediterranean
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The USS Harry Truman, a Navy aircraft carrier, is launching airstrikes against the Islamic State from its position in the Eastern Mediterranean, a Navy official confirmed to Fox News on Friday.
“This is showing the U.S. Navy can conduct flight operations [against ISIS] from other locations, not just the [Persian] Gulf,” the official said.
The aircraft carrier has been launching fighter jets to conduct strikes against ISIS from the Persian Gulf since December. The latest airstrikes took place against targets in Syria, according to a senior defense official familiar with the operation.
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In April, the U.S. Navy announced Truman’s deployment would be extended an extra 30 days.
When asked if there was any objection from Russian or Syrian military, the Navy official was not aware. He did not know if the U.S. asked for permission from the Syrians or Russians before conducting the flights.
The Russians set up the S-400 fourth-generation surface-to-air missile system in Syria late last year.
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When asked how long the USS Harry Truman would be in the Mediterranean, the official said, “more than a few days.”
Truman is currently scheduled to return to her homeport in Norfolk, Va., in mid-July.
Reuters first reported on the new airstrikes.