This Rare Video Shows What It’s Like To Be On The Receiving End Of A U.S. Airstrike

This is what the U.S. air campaign against the Islamic State looks like from the ground.

This footage was taken by an Islamic State ground soldier in Iraq and depicts an F/A-18 Hornet carrying out two bombing attacks. At eight seconds you can see the pressure wave as the U.S. aircraft accelerates to supersonic speeds.

It’s extremely rare to see footage of this kind and quality both because the aircraft are so fast but also because there’s usually simply no one on the U.S. side to conduct this kind of filming.