Airstrikes are already underway against Islamic State militants in northern Iraq.  Kurdish and Iraqi officials say it’s the first stage of a push to stop Islamic State from advancing another further in Iraq and to provide emergency aid to a religious minority group that been driven to the hills.

The Pentagon denies that US forces are carrying out the bombings, saying that Iraqi or Turkish allies are conducting the campaign.  The Turks say they’re merely delivering humanitarian aid to the Kurds in the north.  Kurdish television announced American intervention, which prompted street celebrations in towns facing a threat from Islamic State.

But the group in the deepest trouble is the Yazidi, a religious minority that follows an offshoot of the ancient Zoroastrian religion, which pre-dates both Christianity and Islam and doesn’t follow the god of Abraham.  That is particularly offensive to the Islamic State zealots, who’ve been ruthless in executing all those who they view as outside their version of Sunni Islam

They abandoned their homes as Islamic State moved into Sinjar.  Some made it to Turkey, others to Kurdish strongholds, but some fled up into the mountains.  Former US troops who fought in Iraq from 2003 say these hills are harsh and unforgiving.  There is no water and no shelter, and temperatures easily soar past 50 degrees C in the midday sun.  And there is only one road in and out.  With no supplies, it’s doubtful that civilians could last more than a week.

The UN Security Council held a special meeting on Thursday and voted to condemn Islamic State’s attacks on minorities.

“The members of the Security Council call on the international community to support the government and people of Iraq and to do all it can to help alleviate the suffering of the population affected by the current conflict in Iraq,” said UK ambassador to the UN Mark Lyall Grant after Thursday evening's meeting.