New York Times reports US airstrikes in Iraq; Pentagon denies: 'completely false'

Brett T. | 5:35 PM on August 07, 2014

Pentagon Press Secretary Rear Adm. John Kirby is denying press reports that the United States has conducted airstrikes against ISIS in Iraq, calling them “completely false.”

The New York Times, however, claims that two sites in northern Iraq have been bombed.

Wow. "American forces said to bomb ISIS targets in Iraq" reports @Alissanyt

— jack healy (@jackhealyNYT) August 7, 2014

NYT: "American military forces bombed at least two targets in northern Iraq…" Obama "preparing to make a statement" http://t.co/eKKkNkoplz

— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) August 7, 2014

The New York Times reports:

American military forces bombed at least two targets in northern Iraq on Thursday night to rout Islamist insurgents who have trapped tens of thousands of religious minorities in Kurdish areas, Kurdish officials said.

Word of the bombings, reported on Kurdish television from the city of Erbil, came as President Obama was preparing to make a statement in Washington.

Kurdish officials said the bombings targeted fighters from the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria who had seized two towns, Gwer and Mahmour. Residents who had fled those areas by car were heard honking their horns in approval.

Some were disappointed to hear the Pentagon’s denial.