This article is from the archive of our partner .
UPDATE: President Obama announced the beginning of U.S.-led airstrikes in Syria as part of his expanding military campaign against the Islamic State.
In brief remarks outside the White House, the president said he ordered the strikes in conjunction with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Jordan and Qatar.
"The strength of this coalition makes it clear to the world that this is not America’s fight alone," Obama said.
The president did not take questions before boarding a helicopter for New York, where he is scheduled to address the United Nations on Tuesday afternoon.
Senior administration officials, briefing reporters later on the condition of anonymity, said the 14 strikes in Syria were successful in hitting an ISIS finance center and headquarters building, among other targets. The strikes were aimed at facilities rather than ISIS leadership, they said.
"We know we hit what we were aiming at," one senior administration official said.
U.S. Central Command posted videos of the strikes on YouTube, including the one below:
ORIGINAL: The Pentagon confirmed this evening that the United States has begun airstrikes against ISIS within Syria, opening up a second front in the U.S.-led offensive against the Islamic State.