Washington, August 21 (RHC)-- The Barack Obama administration has launched new airstrikes on Islamic State militants in Iraq. The strikes came after the Islamic State released a video of the beheading of American journalist James Foley and threatened to kill another U.S. journalist if the airstrikes do not stop. On Wednesday, Obama vowed to continue the fight against the militants, who are also known as ISIL.

Obama administration officials have also revealed U.S. special operations forces tried and failed to free James Foley and other hostages during a secret raid in Syria earlier this summer. The team of commandos battled Islamic State militants, but did not find any hostages.

It is the first confirmed use of U.S. troops on the ground in Syria since the civil war began. The New York Times reports the United States also refused to pay a multimillion-dollar ransom for Foley’s release.