U.S. Drones Strike Iraq Militant Mortar Team as UK Says to 'Transport' Military Supplies to Kurdish Forces

U.S. drones fired on an Islamic extremist mortar position in northern Iraq on Tuesday to protect Kurdish forces battling to rescue a group of Yazidi civilian refugees, the military said.

The so-called Islamic State, the region's most powerful Sunni jihadist group, has driven thousands of members of the Yazidi minority from their homes and is besieging the refugees on an exposed mountain.

Last week, the United States launched an air campaign to break the siege of Mount Sinjar, bring humanitarian relief to the Yazidis and support Kurdish troops protecting their capital Arbil.

"U.S. military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Iraq today, successfully conducting an airstrike on an ISIL mortar position north of Sinjar," the U.S. Central Command said in a statement.

"At approximately 7:55 am (1155 GMT), U.S. remotely piloted aircraft struck and destroyed an ISIL mortar position that was firing on Kurdish forces defending internally displaced Yazidi civilians who were attempting to evacuate," it said.

"All aircraft exited the strike area safely."

On Monday, the Pentagon said the U.S. military had flown between 50 and 60 sorties per day in support of the operation but did not reveal how many launched strikes or dropped humanitarian aid.

Meanwhile, Britain on Tuesday said it would transport military supplies from other states to Kurdish forces battling jihadist militants in northern Iraq, and would send Chinook helicopters to assist its aid mission.

"We are sending a small number of Chinook helicopters to the region for use if we decide we need further humanitarian relief options," said a statement from Prime Minister David Cameron's office.

"We have also agreed to transport from other contributing states some critical military re-supplies for the Kurdish forces."

Downing Street could not immediately comment on which states would be providing the supplies.

The statement was issued after British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond had chaired a meeting of the emergency response committee COBR and following a telephone conversation between Cameron and Australian counterpart Tony Abbott.

British Tornado fighter jets were launched to provide surveillance support for its humanitarian aid effort to help refugees fleeing jihadist Islamic State (IS) fighters in northern Iraq, soon after making a second airdrop.

The Ministry of Defense (MoD) confirmed that the Royal Air Force (RAF) had sent Tornado aircraft from RAF Marham in south east England, fitted with reconnaissance pods.

The planes were bound for RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, where they would be ready "to provide vital intelligence".

The MoD would not confirm how many aircraft had been sent, but the BBC reported three jets had taken off at 2.00pm (1500GMT).

Downing Street stressed that Britain's "focus remains the humanitarian situation", particularly those refugees trapped on Mount Sinjar.

Three UK aid drops have now taken place, with RAF planes delivering 3,180 re-usable water containers, filled with a total of 15,900 liters of clean water, and 816 solar lanterns.

"Meanwhile urgent planning to get those trapped on the mountainside to safety will continue in the coming days between ourselves and U.S., the Kurdish authorities and other partners," added a Downing Street spokesperson.