Military Times reports that “Defense Secretary Ash Carter signaled Wednesday that the U.S. military will expand efforts to target Islamic State militants beyond the group’s territory in Iraq and Syria, potentially involving airstrikes and raids in other Islamic countries.”  

“’The threat posed by ISIL, and groups like it, is continually evolving, changing focus and shifting location,’ Carter said, using an alternative acronym for the Islamic State group.”  

“’That’s why the Defense Department is organizing a new way to leverage the security infrastructure we’ve already established in Afghanistan, the Middle East, East Africa, and southern Europe into a network to counter transnational and transregional threats like ISIL,’ Carter said.”