White House says US is at war with ISIL

“In the same way that we are at war with al-Qaeda and its affiliates around the globe, we are at war with ISIL,” White House press secretary Josh Earnest said on Friday.
 
He made the comments one day after Kerry said that the US strategy to fight ISIL included "many different things that one doesn't think of normally in context of war."
 
Earnest added that Washington’s new strategy was "different than the strategies previously pursued in Iraq."
 
The strategy for handling the group was "consistent with the counterterrorism strategy we've pursued in cases all around the world," he said.
 
"This president, as is expected of American presidents, is stepping up to lead an international coalition to confront that threat and to deny ISIL a safe haven. And ultimately, this international coalition will be responsible for degrading and destroying ISIL," according to the press secretary.
 
Meanwhile, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby reiterated that the US military is at war with ISIL.
 
During a speech on Wednesday, President Barack Obama said that his country was prepared to expand its bombing campaign against ISIL terrorists and launch airstrikes in Syria.
 
The Pentagon announced that the United States already has conducted more than154 airstrikes against ISIL targets in Iraq.
 
The Obama administration has also planned to further arm and train what it calls “moderate” militants in Syria to fight against ISIL terrorists.