U.S., allies stage 18 strikes in Iraq, Syria against Islamic State: U.S. military

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States and its allies conducted 18 strikes against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria on Sunday, the coalition leading the operations said. In a statement released on Monday, the Combined Joint Task Force said five strikes in Syria, four of them near Mar'a, hit tactical units and destroyed fighting positions, vehicles and a house-borne explosive device. In Iraq, 13 strikes near six cities denied access to terrain and destroyed assembly areas, supply caches and a rocket rail, among other targets, the statement said. (Reporting by Megan Cassella; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)