Obama on airstrikes in Syria: 'We're gonna do what's necessary to take the fight to this terrorist group'

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 (UPI) -- U.S. President Barack Obama spoke Tuesday, hours after the U.S. began coalition airstrikes against Islamic State targets inside Syria.

The airstrikes were undertaken as part of Obama's strategy to combat IS (also known as ISIS or ISIL) in both Iraq and Syria with the objective, he said, "that these terrorists can't find safe haven anywhere."

Overnight airstrikes targeted the defacto IS headquarters in the Syrian city of Raqqa, as well as bases, checkpoints and training centers of the militant Islamic group in at least four Syrian provinces.

Speaking from the White House's south lawn, Obama applauded Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates for joining the U.S. in the initial airstrikes against IS in Syria.

"America is proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with these nations on behalf of our common security."

"The strength of this coalition makes clear that this is not America's fight alone.

"Above all, the people and governments of the Middle East are rejecting ISIL and standing up for the peace and security that the people in the region and the world deserve."

The international coalition to counter IS includes more than 40 nations, the president pointed out. Together, they have committed "to take out terrorist targets, to train and equip Iraqi and Syrian opposition fighters who are going up against ISIL on the ground, to cut off ISIL's financing, to counter its hateful ideology, and to stop the flow of fighters into and out of the region."

Obama expressed appreciation for bi-partisan support in the U.S. Congress to counter IS, including recent congressional approval for training and equipping 5,000 Syrian rebels.

Overnight airstrikes also targeted an al-Qaida unit known as the Khorasan group, which the president said was plotting attacks against the U.S. and allied countries. The president did not elaborate on the specifics of the plotting or the immanency of the threat.

"Once again, it must be clear to anyone who would plot against America and try to do Americans harm, that we will not tolerate safe havens for terrorists who threaten our people."