© Stringer . / Reuters
About a dozen Turkish tanks entered Syria early Wednesday in an effort to run ISIS out of the northern town of Jarablus, which is considered a hub of the terror group. U.S. planes were providing air cover for the operation, according to an official who told Reuters that Washington is “in sync” with Turkey on the assault. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said the operation was also targeting Kurdish militants. The tanks followed airstrikes and bombs that peppered the town overnight. “At 4 a.m. this morning, operations started in the north of Syria against terror groups which constantly threaten our country,” Erdoğan said. Officials claimed the operation was in self-defense, after months of suicide bombings and attacks on Turkish citizens. A bombing at a wedding this weekend killed more than 50 people. It followed deadly attacks in Ankara, Istanbul, and elsewhere. Meanwhile, Vice President Joe Biden arrived in Ankara for talks with Erdoğan in the first high-ranking U.S. visit since an attempted July coup strained relations with the NATO ally.