US aircraft have launched fresh strikes against the so-called Islamic State (IS) militants in northern Iraq near the Mosul dam, despite threats from the terrorist group to kill a second American captive

US aircraft have launched fresh strikes against the so-called Islamic State (IS) militants in northern Iraq near the Mosul dam, despite threats from the terrorist group to kill a second American captive, the US military's Central Command said on Thursday.

"US military forces continued to attack ISIL (Islamic State) terrorists in support of Iraqi Security Force operations, using fighter and attack aircraft to conduct six airstrikes in the vicinity of the Mosul Dam," it said in a statement.
 
The air raids were carried out over the last 24 hours, a US defense official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told AFP.
  
The air attacks come after President Barack Obama called for decisive international action against the "cancer" of extremism in Iraq and Syria.
  
The latest strikes destroyed or damaged three Humvee armored vehicles, another vehicle, and "multiple" homemade bomb "emplacements," Central Command said.
  
US Navy fighters and drones provided air cover for Kurdish and Iraqi forces battling IS near the city of Mosul.

On Tuesday IS released a video showing the beheading of journalist James Foley. In it, the militants threatened to kill another American reporter.

The US military has conducted 90 air strikes in Iraq since August 8, including the latest bombing raids. Of those 90 operations, 57 have been in support of Iraqi government forces near the Mosul dam, it claimed.