U.S. conducts air strikes on militants near besieged Iraqi town

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States carried out air strikes on Saturday against Islamic State fighters near the besieged Shi'ite town of Amerli in northern Iraq and dropped humanitarian supplies to civilians in the area, the Pentagon said.

President Barack Obama authorized the operation to prevent an Islamic State attack on residents of Amerli. The aid was delivered by U.S. aircraft, along with planes from Britain, France and Australia, Pentagon spokesman Mark Wright said in a statement.