Four CF-18s struck an ISIS warehouse used for manufacturing improvised explosive devices in the third bombing strike of Canada's mission in Iraq, the Department of National Defence says.
The Canadian jets were participating in their first-ever "pre-planned strike" on Monday when they dropped eight 500-pound bombs on the ISIS compound, Defence Minister Rob Nicholson said in a statement.
"All eight bombs hit their target and they did so simultaneously," Nicholson later said in the House of Commons. "This is a testament to the skill and professionalism of our armed forces. As always, Canada is doing its part to fight ISIL terrorism."
The mission was "part of a larger coalition operation," Nicholson said.
The compound was near Mosul, in northern Iraq, and was used to construct IEDs, as well as to train militants.
A C-150 Polaris refuelling aircraft also assisted with the operation, delivering an estimated 28,000 pounds of fuel to coalition aircraft.
All Canadian aircraft and personnel returned safely to base, the statement said.
According to unnamed defence officials interviewed by The Canadian Press, the attack happened overnight Monday to limit 鈥渃ollateral damage.鈥�
The officials wouldn鈥檛 speculate about the number of enemy fighters killed, but claimed there were no civilian casualties.
Monday鈥檚 strike was the third in which Canadian planes have dropped bombs on ISIS targets since Canada joined the coalition mission in Iraq nearly three weeks ago.
A news release from U.S. Central Command issued Monday said coalition planes conducted 20 airstrikes over Iraq between Nov. 14 and 17 "using attack, bomber, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft" against ISIS targets.
There was no immediate word on whether any of the airstrikes resulted in ISIS or civilian casualties.
Last week, Col. Daniel Constable, Commander of Joint Task Force Iraq, said ISIS likely took some casualties in Canada's second strike on Nov. 11. For that mission, CF-18s hit a piece of artillery that militants were using to fire on Iraqi Security Forces. The artillery was being pulled by a truck down a roadway when it was hit.
With files from The Canadian Press
