Shafaq News/ Iraqi F-16 fighter jets carried out multiple airstrikes on ISIS positions along the border between Tikrit and Kirkuk on Monday evening, according to a security source in Saladin province.

The source informed Shafaq News that “the strikes, based on precise intelligence gathered by security agencies, targeted ISIS hideouts in the Hamrin mountains range east of Saladin. The airstrikes reportedly destroyed several ISIS shelters in the area.”

“The extent of ISIS casualties remains unknown as Iraqi forces launched ground operations in the region to pursue remaining ISIS elements,” the source added.

The area targeted by the airstrikes falls under the responsibility of the Popular Mobilization Forces’ Brigade 88, which is tasked with securing the region.

Despite losing its territorial caliphate and several high-ranking leaders, ISIS remains a persistent threat through sleeper cells and recruitment, continuing deadly attacks across multiple regions, a recent report by the Associated Press states. The group has claimed responsibility for fatal assaults worldwide, including high-profile attacks in Iran and Russia earlier this year.

In Syria and Iraq, ISIS sleeper cells target government forces and US-backed Syrian fighters, underscoring the resilience of the group despite sustained counter-terrorism operations. Iraqi officials are currently discussing the potential withdrawal of US troops, which may alter the dynamics of ISIS containment efforts.

The United Nations estimates that ISIS has between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters scattered across Syria and Iraq. While the Iraqi government and military leaders assert that ISIS is too weakened to mount a large-scale resurgence, the group's continued attacks suggest it retains the capacity to destabilize vulnerable areas.