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Strikes on Islamic State Pound a Foe the U.S. Once Thought Defeated
(Wall Street Journal) Omar Abdel-Baqui - The heavy U.S. strikes against Islamic State positions highlight the difficulty in fully suppressing a foe that was declared militarily defeated half a decade ago. U.S. forces carried out attacks on more than 70 targets in Syria on Friday, following more than 80 operations the U.S. military conducted in Syria in the last six months, including airstrikes as well as raids that have killed Islamic State leaders. Despite extensive targeting of the group following the collapse of the Assad regime in Syria a year ago, its cells continue to carry out ambushes and increased the pace of their attacks early this year. Islamic State maintains loosely organized cells in Syria, targeting the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces militia that is working with the U.S. Islamic State militants staged 117 attacks in northeast Syria through the end of August, outpacing the 73 attacks in all of 2024, according to SDF figures. Beyond Syria, Islamic State retains strongholds in parts of Africa and Asia. Australian authorities said it inspired the recent attack on a Hanukkah celebration in Sydney's Bondi Beach.