Obama says he has authorized the U.S. military to launch targeted airstrikes if Islamic militants advance toward American personnel in northern Iraq. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)  Prime Minister Tony Abbott has backed a US plan to launch airstrikes against militants in northern Iraq, arguing security in Iraq means security for the international community.  US President Barack Obama authorised airstrikes against a front of invading Islamist extremists in Iraq, who are threatening a massacre of Christian and minority civilians.  “We can act, carefully and responsibly to prevent a potential act of genocide," Mr Obama said, referring to religious minority group the Yazidis besieged by fighters from the so-called Islamic State.  "I therefore authorise targeted air strikes if necessary to help forces in Iraq as they fight to break the siege and protect the civilians trapped there."  Prime Minister Tony Abbott said it was essential to stop ISIS in its tracks, before the fundamental movement spread across the Middle East.  Thousands of Yazidis have fled from ISIS militia to Mount Sinjar, in Iraq's north. (Wikimapia)  "If it is allowed to succeed in carving out a terrorist state in the Middle East it will also pose a significant threat to international security," Mr Abbott said in a statement.  "We strongly support President Obama's course of action."  Mr Obama said that US military aircraft had already dropped food and water to thousands of Iraqi citizens under attack by ISIS militants in a humanitarian aid drop.  Mr Obama's decision to provide tactical air support comes as up to 40,000 members of the Yazidi community were forced to flee ISIS militia, seeking safety on Mount Sinjar in northern Iraq.  Relief agency UNICEF said that around 25,000 Yazidi required immediate humanitarian assistance, with at least 40 children already having died of dehydration.  The threatened Yazidis are a Kurdish religious community with strong links to the ancient Persian faith Zoroastrianism, and are a minority within Iraq's largely Muslim population.  ISIS militants advanced closer to the Kurdish capital of Erbil yesterday after taking control of Qaraqosh, the largest Christian town in Iraq.  Around 50,000 civilians were forced to flee the area yesterday, with a United Nations camp nearby reaching capacity as locals from the region sought protection from ISIS extremists.  Earlier, in New York, the United Nations Security Council urged world powers "to support the government and the people of Iraq and to do all it can to help alleviate the suffering of the population."  Mr Obama said the orders come as a result of a request from the Iraqi government, and would only take place if militants moved to take the northern city of Erbil.  Mr Obama said there was no decision that he took more seriously than the use of military force, and assured the American public that combat troops would not be redeployed to Iraq.  "As commander in chief, I will not allow the United States to be dragged into fighting another war in Iraq," he said.  A media report earlier today suggested American forces had already begun airstrikes, however both US and Iraqi officials categorically denied the story.  "There is some communication between Baghdad and Washington on that issue, but no strike has been done yet," said Iraqi Ambassador to the United Nations Mohammad Ali Al-Hakim.  The decision to launch any kind of military intervention in Iraq is a significant departure from Mr Obama’s previous approach, which focused on ensuring the US avoided direct involvement in the conflict.  Displaced Iraqi Christians settle at St Joseph Church in Irbil, northern Iraq. Picture: AP  Do you have any news photos or videos?
President Barack Obama has authorised US forces to conduct air strikes against Sunni extremist militants in Iraq if they are needed to prevent a massacre of civilians.