MUWAFFAQ AL-SALTI AIR BASE, Jordan — Fighter jets launched a fresh wave of bombing raids Saturday, delivering a deadly message to ISIS in response to the burning to death of a captured pilot.
The Jordanian F-16 planes returned to the Muwaffaq Al Salti Air Base without their missiles following a two-and-a-half hour mission.
Two U.S. F-22 planes also landed at north Jordan base, one of the launch points for Saturday’s airstrikes.
The missions came after ISIS claimed that American hostage Kayla Mueller was killed in one of the strikes – but it released no video to back up its claim, and there was skepticism from foreign policy experts.
Jordan’s military on Thursday vowed that the airstrikes were just "the beginning" of the country’s retaliation for the horrific killing of pilot Muath al-Kasasbeh. ISIS on Tuesday released a video showing Kasabeh, who was captured over Syria in December, being burned alive in a cage.
King Abdullah, who on Thursday visited and consoled the dead pilot's family in a public show of defiance, has called for global unity in the fight against terrorism and for understanding between Muslims and Christians.
IN-DEPTH
- Doubts About ISIS Claim That Airstrike Killed Kayla Mueller
- Family of U.S. Hostage ‘Hopeful’ She is Still Alive
- Jordan to ISIS: Revenge Airstrikes Just ‘The Beginning’
