Two
days after news emerged that ISIS had burned a captive Jordanian pilot
to death, the Middle Eastern nation hit back, and is promising more.
Fighter
jets carried out airstrikes Thursday, then returned to fly over the
home of the slain 27-year-old pilot, Lt. Moath al-Kasasbeh, in the
village of Ay in Karak governorate.
“This is just the beginning and you shall know who the Jordanians are,” the armed forces said in a statement on state TV.
They
claimed hits on ISIS training centers, arms and ammunition depots: “All
targets were completely destroyed and all the planes returned to their
bases safely.”
The
air mission was named “Moath the Martyr.” State TV aired exclusive
video footage of warplanes striking unspecified ISIS positions in Syria.
Jordanian
Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh later stressed to CNN that the airstrikes
marked the beginning of his nation’s retaliation over the pilot’s
death, but not the start of its fight against terrorism. He vowed to
destroy ISIS.
“We
are upping the ante. We’re going after them wherever they are, with
everything that we have. But it’s not the beginning, and it’s certainly
not the end,” Judeh said.
The
pilot’s father, Safi al-Kasasbeh, told CNN that King Abdullah II had
promised him that Jordan would avenge his son’s death and bombard ISIS’
de facto capital of Raqqa in Syria. On Thursday, he said that the King
told him 30 Jordanian fighter jets participated in the strikes.
“The
homeland is entrusted to you all,” he said alongside Abdullah, in
remarks shown on state television, referencing Jordan’s military and
calling for national unity. “… For you (troops), to honor Moath is to
uphold your oath and to follow in his footsteps as soldiers for God, his
prophet (and) Islam … in defending this dear homeland.”
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