Operation Noble Eagle, combat air patrols above American cities, marks the end of its first year, with 25,100 total sorties flown. Of these, 17,600 were fighter sorties. Most of the missions were flown by the Air National Guard: 74 percent of the fighter sorties, 62 percent of the tanker sorties, and 37 percent of the airlift sorties.
The U.S. began extensive air and artillery strikes against Islamic State group targets in Syria on Dec. 19 in retaliation for the killing of three Americans on Dec. 13 by a gunman affiliated with ISIS, U.S. officials said.
