Royal Canadian Air Force CF-18 Hornets depart after refueling with a KC-135 Stratotanker assigned to the 340th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, Thursday, Oct. 30, 2014, over IraqStaff Sgt. Perry Aston/The Canadian Press
Canadian fighter jets bombed a warehouse that was being used by Islamic State militants in northern Iraq to manufacture weapons, Canada's Defence Minister says.
The militants were using the warehouse to train IS fighters and build improvised explosive devices, Rob Nicholson said in a statement. The attack, which took place near Mosul on Monday, involved four CF-18s and was part of a larger coalition operation.
It was Canada's third air strike since joining the U.S.-led coalition about three weeks ago.
A separate statement from U.S. Central Command said three coalition air strikes took place in the area around Mosul during the days leading up to the warehouse attack. One bomb destroyed a bulldozer and tactical unit southwest of Mosul Dam and two more targeted tactical units, an IS vehicle and a fighting position west of Mosul.
The recent air strikes in the Mosul area were among 20 coalition attacks against Islamic State targets in Iraq during the past few days, according to U.S. Central Command.
Coalition forces have been bombing Islamic State targets in Iraq since August and extended the campaign to Syria in September, although Canada's participation is currently limited to Iraq. Prime Minister Stephen Harper has suggested he would consider expanding the combat mission to Syria, but only if the strikes are not interpreted as a war against the Syrian government.
Canada's previous two air strikes against militants in Iraq targeted a piece of artillery near Beiji and construction equipment Ottawa said was being used to divert water from the Euphrates.
Canadian surveillance, refuelling and fighter aircraft have flown a total of 80 sorties since joining U.S.-led air strikes against Islamic State militants in Iraq, according to the Department of National Defence. Fifty-two of those flights were by CF-18 fighter jets and 15 were conducted by Aurora surveillance aircraft. Another 13 sorties have been conducted by a Polaris refuelling aircraft.