President Obama is vowing to continue airstrikes aimed at protecting U.S. personnel in Iraq. Speaking Thursday, Obama said U.S. efforts have helped thousands of Yazidi minorities trapped on Mount Sinjar following the advance of rebels known as the Islamic State. Obama said humanitarian airdrops would likely end, but airstrikes would not.

President Obama: “We broke the ISIL siege of Mount Sinjar, we helped vulnerable people reach safety, and we helped save many innocent lives. We will continue airstrikes to protect our people and facilities in Iraq. We have increased the delivery of military assistance to Iraqi and Kurdish forces fighting ISIL on the front lines. And perhaps most importantly, we are urging Iraqis to come together to turn the tide against ISIL, above all, by seizing the enormous opportunity of forming a new inclusive government under the leadership of (Iraqi) Prime Minister-designate (Haider) Abadi.”

European foreign ministers are meeting in Brussels today to discuss arming Iraqi Kurds against the Islamic State.