Jordan targets IS base of Raqqa on third day of air strikes- source

Jordanians hold up a poster of pilot Muath al-Kasaesbeh

February 07 2015 03:08 PM

Jordan carried out air strikes on Islamic State targets for the third day running on Saturday, mainly targeting the jihadist group's Syrian stronghold of Raqqa, a security source said.

"Sorties of air force fighters today bombed (Islamic State) bases," state television said in a bulletin. It gave no details.

Jordan's Queen Rania (C) offers her condolences to the family of Jordanian pilot Muath al-Kasaesbeh, at their family home of Muath in the city of Karak as Jordanian fighter jets pounded Islamic State hideouts in Syria on Thursday and then roared over the hometown of a pilot killed by the militants, while below them King Abdullah consoled the victim's family (REUTERS/Petra News Agency)

Jordan's King Abdullah offers his condolences to Safi al-Kasaesbeh, the father of Jordanian pilot Muath al-Kasaesbeh, at the headquarters of the family's clan in the city of Karak (Reuters)

Jordanian pilot Lt. Muath al-Kaseasbeh standing in a cage just before being burned to death by his captors (AP Photo/SITE Intelligence Group)

Men wearing Jordanian flag design costumes carry a poster of Jordanian King Abdullah II during a march after Friday prayers in Amman, Jordan, Friday, as several thousand people - including Jordan's Queen Rania - marched in support of the king after Muslim noon prayers. The crowd unfurled a large Jordanian flag and held up banners in support of the king's pledge of a tough military response to the killing of the pilot, Lt. Muath al-Kaseasbeh (AP Photo/Raad Adayleh)

Queen Rania joins anti-IS protesters in Amman, holding a picture of murdered Jordanian pilot Lt Moaz al Kasasbeh. (AP)

Demonstrators in Amman chant anti-Islamic State slogans and carry posters with pictures of Jordanian King Abdullah II. (AP)

Anwar Tarawneh, the wife of Jordanian pilot Maaz al-Kassasbeh, sheds a tear during a rally calling for the release of her captive husband

Jordan's Queen Rania (C) offers her condolences to the family of Jordanian pilot Muath al-Kasaesbeh, at their family home of Muath in the city of Karak as Jordanian fighter jets pounded Islamic State hideouts in Syria on Thursday and then roared over the hometown of a pilot killed by the militants, while below them King Abdullah consoled the victim's family (REUTERS/Petra News Agency)

Jordan's Queen Rania holds a picture of recently executed Jordanian pilot Muath al-Kasasbeh, with the words in Arabic reading "Muath is a martyr of right", during a march to show their loyalty to the King and to show solidarity with the family of the pilot, Muath al-Kasasbeh, killed by Islamic State (REUTERS/Petra News Agency)

Jordan's King Abdullah offers his condolences to Safi al-Kasaesbeh, the father of Jordanian pilot Muath al-Kasaesbeh, at the headquarters of the family's clan in the city of Karak (Reuters)

Jordanian pilot Lt. Muath al-Kaseasbeh standing in a cage just before being burned to death by his captors (AP Photo/SITE Intelligence Group)

Men wearing Jordanian flag design costumes carry a poster of Jordanian King Abdullah II during a march after Friday prayers in Amman, Jordan, Friday, as several thousand people - including Jordan's Queen Rania - marched in support of the king after Muslim noon prayers. The crowd unfurled a large Jordanian flag and held up banners in support of the king's pledge of a tough military response to the killing of the pilot, Lt. Muath al-Kaseasbeh (AP Photo/Raad Adayleh)

Queen Rania joins anti-IS protesters in Amman, holding a picture of murdered Jordanian pilot Lt Moaz al Kasasbeh. (AP)

Demonstrators in Amman chant anti-Islamic State slogans and carry posters with pictures of Jordanian King Abdullah II. (AP)

Muath al-Kaseasbeh

Anwar Tarawneh, the wife of Jordanian pilot Maaz al-Kassasbeh, sheds a tear during a rally calling for the release of her captive husband

Jordan launched the raids on Thursday in response to the group's killing of a captive Jordanian pilot.

A second security official told Reuters Jordan had conducted at least 60 raids over the past three days, mainly on targets in Islamic State-controlled territory in Syria but also on several in Iraq.

Pilot murder adds new dimension to Isil's barbarity

They had hit targets including ammunition depots, training camps and a communications tower, the official said.

Jordan's King Abdullah has vowed to avenge pilot Mouath al-Kasaesbeh's brutal killing, and ordered his commanders to prepare for a stepped-up military role in the U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State.

But many Jordanians fear being dragged into a conflict that could trigger a backlash by hardline militants inside the kingdom.