The Pentagon wants you to see what it's like to bomb ISIS

The Pentagon wants you to see what it's like to bomb ISIS
(Image credit: U.S. Central Command)

The U.S.-led military campaign against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) isn't supposed to be a "shock and awe" sort of offensive, but the U.S. brought out some pretty big guns (and guided missiles and drones and fighter jets) in Monday night's first strike against ISIS in Syria. And for some reason — transparency? psychological warfare? — the Pentagon is welcoming the global public into the cockpits of combat aircraft and onto the decks of warships. If you wondered what the anti-ISIS battle looks like from the U.S. front lines, this footage from the U.S. military will give you a taste.

The first thing about the attacks is that they were loud. Here's some U.S. Navy video from the deck of the USS Philippine Sea, launching Tomahawk missiles toward Syria, plus a bit of footage of F-18 fighter jets taking off from the deck of the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush. The U.S. Navy has more footage if these flashes and bangs aren't enough:

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
To continue reading this article...
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us
Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.