US President Barack Obama has authorised "targeted air strikes" against Islamic militants to protect American military personnel and prevent potential "genocide" of thousands of displaced religious minorities trapped on a mountaintop in northwest Iraq.
In a televised address late last night, Obama said the US "cannot turn a blind eye" when it has the capability to prevent genocide of the stranded Iraqi minorities.
He also authorised a humanitarian effort to "help save thousands of Iraqi civilians who are trapped on a mountain without food and water and facing almost certain death".
Obama said he has authorised US military to conduct air strikes against Islamic State militants if they advance further toward the city of Erbil - the capital of Kurdish region of Iraq "where American diplomats and civilians serve at our consulate and American military personnel advise Iraqi forces".
"We intend to stay vigilant, and take action if these terrorist forces threaten our personnel or facilities anywhere in Iraq, including our consulate in Erbil and our embassy in Baghdad.
"We can act, carefully and responsibly, to prevent a potential act of genocide. That's what we're doing on that mountain," he said.
In a nine-minute speech, Obama explained the reasons for his decision, but reiterated there would be no American troops on the ground.
"Earlier this week, one Iraqi in the area cried to the world, "There is no one coming to help." Well, today, America is coming to help," he said in his remarks from the State Dining room of the White House, adding that when the lives of Americans are at risk and when thousands of innocent civilians at risk, the US will take action.
Thousands of families from the Yazidi minority community are reportedly trapped in the mountains without food and water after fleeing the rampaging fighters of the Islamic State, also known as Islamic State of Iraq and Syria or ISIS.
Throngs of refugees, many of them Iraqi Christians, are also on the run after their largest city Qaraqosh was occupied by the militants from the al-Qaeda splinter group.
At the same time, Obama vowed that the US would not be dragged into another war in Iraq.
Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel said the US military is ready to carry out air strikes inside Iraq.
"The US military will also remain ready to conduct targeted air strikes, if necessary, to help forces in Iraq fighting to break the siege of Mount Sinjar and protect Iraqi civilians trapped there," Hagel said in a statement from New Delhi where he is travelling.
