Iraqi troops launch attack to recapture Fallujah from ISIS

Thirty-five thousand Iraqi troops launched an attack on Sunday to recapture Fallujah, the capital of Anbar province in western Iraq, which has been held by ISIS since 2014.
DEBKAfile military sources: Washington and the American commanders in Iraq opposed the attack because they believe that the Iraqi army is not capable of breaking into the city and liberating it within a short period of time.
In the Americans' view, despite Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's statement that "Zero hour for the liberation of Fallujah has arrived", it will take many months for the city to be captured.
They believe that the military operation and the unstable political situation in Baghdad will have a detrimental effect on preparations for an attack on Mosul, the ISIS capital in Iraq.