Iraqi jets bombed ISIS targets inside the country of Syria for the first time Friday according to a statement from their prime minister. These airstrikes came as the Iraqi Army continues their operation to take back the city Mosul from the Islamic State. The Iraqi Prime Minister said they will attack ISIS militants ‘everywhere’.

Iraq’s Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced the airstrikes in a statement, saying the air force hit towns of Boukamal and Husseibah across the border and came in response to recent bombings in Baghdad claimed by IS and linked to the militants’ operations in Syria.

An Iraqi air force commander said the airstrikes against IS Syria were carried out with F-16 warplanes at dawn and “were successful.” – Military.com

Watch: Claimed Footage of Iraqi F-16 Bombing ISIS Target Inside Syria

Iraq attacking ISIS in Syria is a major development. It signals that the Iraqi military is feeling more confident in their abilities to defeat the Islamic State. Their success so far in driving ISIS from Mosul appears to be emboldening the Iraqis to take greater action to eliminate ISIS from their country. Maybe this all comes at the prodding of the US but it is still a positive direction.

Reports suggest that Iraq took these actions with the approval of the Syrian government.

Featured image of Iraqi air force captain Hama landing one of the IAF’s new F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft Dec. 16, 2014. Due to the security situation in Iraq, the IAF pilots will complete their training in their own aircraft in the U.S. Photo by Senior Airman Jordan Castelan, US Air Force via Wikimedia