Military action against ISIS/ISIL entered a new stage earlier today when U.S. warplanes and cruise missiles were joined by several Arab countries in the region in attacking targets in Syria for the first time. Warplanes from Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain participated in the attacks, which were aimed at several ISIS/ISIL command and control targets. The U.S.'s NATO ally Turkey did not join the air attacks.
In a sign of the murky and shifting interests in the region, the Assad regime apparently was notified in advance of the attacks within its territory, and did not object.
