The majority of US air strikes in Iraq over the past month have targeted jihadists in the country's north fighting for control of the strategic Mosul dam, Pentagon officials said Wednesday, citing a tally of the raids.

Out of 154 American bombing raids conducted since August 8 in Iraq, 91 of them were aimed at Islamic State (IS) militants threatening the Mosul dam in the country's north, US defense officials said.

The Pentagon has declined to provide details about which US aircraft have carried out the bombing in Iraq or what bases in the region they were flying out of, apart from acknowledging that F-18 fighters on an aircraft carrier in the Gulf have taken part in the operations.

But hours before President Barack Obama was due to deliver a pivotal speech laying out his plan to defeat the IS jihadists, officials released a breakdown of the bombing operations and of humanitarian air drops that were ordered in a bid to counter the advance of the militants.

The strikes around Mosul helped Iraqi and Kurdish troops retake the dam, which the IS jihadists briefly held, but fighting has raged on around the dam, with US aircraft keeping up bombing raids.

After Mosul, the most frequent targeted area has been around Arbil, where 29 air strikes were conducted against the IS extremists, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Seventeen of the more than 150 strikes have focused on another massive dam, near Haditha in the west, a crucial part of Iraq's infrastructure. Those raids were launched last weekend.

To help Iraqi and Kurdish forces trying to break through a siege of Yazidis on Mount Sinjar, US aircraft conducted 13 air strikes last month and carried out 28 airdrops of food and supplies.

And in Amerli, four bombing missions were undertaken last month to help Shiite Turkmen encircled there, while US planes delivered food and water.

US warplanes, including manned fighter jets and bombers as well as robotic drones, have "damaged or destroyed" 212 militant targets in the air campaign, including 162 vehicles, according to the tally. The vehicles hit included two tanks and 37 Humvees the extremists had captured from Iraqi forces.

The air attacks hit 21 militant "weapons systems," including seven anti-aircraft artillery pieces, seven homemade bombs and five "mortar positions," the officials said. And 29 IS "facilities" were damaged or destroyed, which included checkpoints, observation posts, a bunker and a command post.

There are now 1,043 US troops in Iraq, with 754 personnel devoted to security for US diplomats and 289 soldiers "advising and assisting" Iraqi security forces, the officials said.

Kurdish, Iraqi troops getting arms, ammo in fight against Islamic State
London (UPI) Sep 10, 2014 - Britain is providing heavy machine guns and ammunition to Kurdish regional forces in northern Iraq battling Islamic State terrorists.

The provision of the weapons and nearly a half-million rounds of ammunition was announced by Britain's Ministry of Defense, which said the aid was being given at the request of Iraq's national government.

"ISIL militants are guilty of shocking brutality," said Defence Secretary Michael Fallon. "So I am pleased that we will supply weapons to the Kurdish forces who are at the front line of combating their violent extremism.

"We have already provided body armor and other protective equipment as well as ammunition from our partners; these weapons will help the Kurdish forces in taking the fight to these barbaric terrorists."

Islamic State, formerly ISIS/ISIL, an Islamist group which surged into Iraq out of Syria, recruited disaffected Sunni Muslim groups in Iraq and then declared an Islamist caliphate in Iraq, which it intends to expand for control of the Middle East. Its forces have slaughtered hundreds – if not more -- civilians and captured government troops in Syria and Iraq.

An undetermined number of British nationals and U.S. citizens are fighting for the group, raising fears of terrorism at home if and when they return.

Earlier this month British Prime Minister David Cameron announced a number of pro-active, aggressive measures to counter the threat, including barring returning IS jihadists from the country.

"It's abhorrent that people who declare their allegiance elsewhere are able to return to the United Kingdom and pose a threat to our national security," Cameron told Parliament. "We are clear in principle that what we need is a targeted, discretionary power to allow us to exclude British nationals from the UK.

"We will work up proposals on this basis with our agencies, in line with our international obligations, and discuss the details on a cross-party basis."

U.S. President Barak Obama is scheduled to speak to the country Wednesday night on the threat to the United States.

The U.S. military has conducted airstrikes on Islamic State terrorists in Iraq at the request of the Iraq government.

The Ministry of Defense said it remains "committed to assisting the government of Iraq by alleviating the humanitarian suffering of those Iraqis targeted by ISIL terrorists; promoting an inclusive, sovereign and democratic Iraq that can push back on ISIL advances and restore stability and security across the country."

The airlifting of military equipment from other countries to Northern Iraq as well as humanitarian aid will continue to be conducted by the Royal Air Force, the ministry said.