Hagel: US Has Intel to Target, Hit Iraq Militants

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel says the U.S. military has enough intelligence to clearly single out Islamic militants and launch effective airstrikes if they threaten U.S. interests or the thousands of refugees who fled to a mountaintop.

Hagel also says that more than 60 of 72 bundles of food and water airdropped onto the mountain reached the Iraqi religious minorities stranded there.

A day after President Barack Obama authorized airstrikes and humanitarian aid in northern Iraq, the military says it has the assets and resources in place to launch strikes by manned and unmanned aircraft based in the region.

Hagel says no airstrikes have been launched, and the Iraqis have not requested additional humanitarian aid. He says top U.S. leaders will meet later to assess the situation.