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Kirk: Strikes At Defacto ISIS Capital Show 'We Can Reach Out And Touch Them'

(CBS) -- Bombs rained on targets overnight and U.S. military leaders say it's just the beginning.

The strikes hit two targets: The terror group ISIS and an Al Qaeda off-shoot known as the Khorasan group.

Khorasan is a group of maybe 50 hardcore terrorists. The pentagon says they were "nearing the execution phase" of an attack,taking that group out part of the "first strike" play book.

A key target for U.S. airstrikes was Racca, Syria, an important stronghold seized by ISIS a year ago.

U.S. Senator Mark Kirk is fully supportive of the strikes

"It was important to hit ISIS in its defacto capital to show we can reach out and touch them," said Kirk.

Kirk says a key next step needs to be ISIS funding, which comes in the form of the control and sale of black market oil, making them the most-sell funded terror organization we've ever seen.

At the VFW post in southwest suburban Mokena, a Vietnam War veteran applauds the air strikes.

"The terrorists that came out of that region are much like a snake and as long as you keep your boot on them, they can't bite you," said Jim Hogan.

The air campaign is being waged by the U.S. and five Arab countries: Bahrain, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

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