Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has criticized Britain's entrance into the U.S.-led coalition attacking Islamic State militants in Syria, saying the airstrikes are illegal and will fail. In an interview published in Britain's Sunday Times, Assad said Islamic State cannot be defeated by airstrikes alone, and that the only strikes that have been effective are those Russia has done since launching its Syrian campaign in September. Britain expanded its involvement in the U.S.-led coalition last week from conducting airstrikes solely against Islamic State targets in Iraq to bombing the militants in Syria as well after Prime Minister David Cameron lobbied his parliament for approval. The U.S. military said Sunday in its daily public report that 12 airstrikes targeted Islamic State in Syria overnight, including one near Raqqa and four just north of the IS stronghold, near the town of Ain Issa.
