The coalition against ISIS recently hit a cash collection point in Mosul, Iraq, with GBU-31s and GBU-39s, the ninth such site struck so far, the spokesman for Operation Inherent Resolve said on Jan. 20. While officials are not sure exactly how much money was destroyed, Army Col. Steve Warren estimated it is “in the tens of millions” of dollars. “We do know that we have impacted their ability to pay their fighters in the immediate term,” he said. “These cash strikes, combined with our other strikes against their industrial base, we believe are having a cumulative effect.” The US and coalition airstrikes have been targeting oil operations ISIS is using to fund its activities. Warren said that since ISIS, also known as Daesh, only uses cash, officials hope that striking cash collection and distribution points will be a further blow to the organization’s funding. Still, he said, “As we strike the Daesh cash … we are going to see them react to the strikes.”
As commander of Air Forces Central, Lt. Gen. Alexus G. Grynkewich has been at the heart of almost all U.S. military action in the Middle East, from overseeing airstrikes against Iranian proxy groups to protecting troops as America’s air defense commander for the region. Just before handing over his command to…