U.S., allies conduct 18 air strikes against Islamic State militants: military

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S.-led forces targeted Islamic State militants in Syria with nine air strikes from Sunday morning through Monday morning and conducted another nine strikes against the group in Iraq, the U.S. military said on Wednesday. Most of the Syrian strikes, six, hit targets near Al Hasakah, where they destroyed Islamic State fighting positions, vehicles, mortar positions, heavy machine guns and a supply point. There were also air strikes near Ar Raqqah and Kobani, according to a military state. In Iraq, forces struck targets near Bayji, Fallujah, Haditha, Mosul, Ramadi and Sinjar. (Reporting by Lisa Lambert; Editing by Bill Trott)