Jordan announced Sunday it conducted dozens of air strikes on the Islamic State group that murdered one of its pilots, as part of an international assault Washington says is bearing fruit. Air Force chief Major General Mansour al-Jobour told reporters the kingdom had launched 56 air raids on IS since Thursday.
"On the first day of the campaign to avenge our airman Maaz al-Kassasbeh, 19 targets were destroyed, including training camps and equipment," he said, reading from a prepared text.
Jordan has vowed to crush IS after the jihadists burned alive Kassasbeh, who was captured in December when his F-16 warplane went down in Syria.
State media reported that a squadron of United Arab Emirates F-16 fighter jets arrived Sunday in Jordan escorted by pilots and technicians. C-17 transporters and refuelling planes were part of the squadron sent to on the orders of Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahayan, the Petra news agency said.