At least three Islamic State (ISIS) militants were killed in an airstrike conducted by the Iraqi air force on Friday, according to a statement from the country's Joint Operations Command.

The strike targeted a terrorist hideout in the Hamrin Mountains, a hotspot for ISIS activity within the Diyala Operations Command sector. Using F-16 fighter jets, Iraqi warplanes successfully destroyed the hideout, killing all three suspected militants inside and eliminating their weapons and equipment, the statement said.

This marks the second airstrike in the Hamrin Mountains in less than a month. A similar operation in late August neutralized another ISIS cell in the area.

Although ISIS was territorially defeated in 2017 after controlling large parts of Iraq since 2014, the group continues to threaten security through guerrilla tactics, including bombings and kidnappings, particularly in disputed areas such as Diyala, Salahaddin, and Kirkuk.

Iraq's air force frequently targets ISIS hideouts in these regions. In 2021, the Iraqi government and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) formed two joint brigades to combat ISIS in the disputed territories.

In late August, a joint Iraqi army and US forces operation in Anbar province resulted in the death of 16 ISIS militants. Additionally, airstrikes in June killed at least seven ISIS members in Salahaddin, further crippling the group's operations.