--- title: James Mattis: U.S. Using 'Annihilation Tactics' Against ISIS description: Defense Secretary James Mattis said U.S. forces have entered a more aggressive phase in the fight against the Islamic State: “annihilation” canonical: https://time.com/4797075/james-mattis-islamic-state-annihilation/ author: Feliz Solomon article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-05-29T04:38:39.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-08T09:04:31.530Z article:section: Politics og:title: Mattis Says U.S. Using 'Annihilation Tactics' Against ISIS og:description: Foreign fighters who joined the Islamic State will "not survive," Mattis said og:url: https://time.com/4797075/james-mattis-islamic-state-annihilation/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt5a4b52dee77d0872/6988cf48cf40a8fa1dc47e53/gettyimages-681829942.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 3400 og:image:height: 1913 og:image:alt: BRITAIN-SOMALIA-DIPLOMACY-SECURITY og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Mattis Says U.S. Using 'Annihilation Tactics' Against ISIS twitter:description: Foreign fighters who joined the Islamic State will "not survive," Mattis said twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt5a4b52dee77d0872/6988cf48cf40a8fa1dc47e53/gettyimages-681829942.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Defense Chief James Mattis Says the U.S. Is Now Using 'Annihilation Tactics' Against ISIS > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: September 2026. ## TIME Newsletters: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition TIME publishes seven free email newsletters, written and edited by TIME journalists, reaching more than 1.1 million engaged readers. TIME has reported on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world since 1923, and its newsletters bring that same authority directly to the inbox. Readers can join any of them at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=df9bc419-7380-44b9-a5fe-0bc2eab00d34&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### The seven newsletters | Newsletter | Covers | Frequency | | --- | --- | --- | | The Brief | The day's top headlines, curated by TIME editors | Daily | | Inside TIME | A closer look at TIME's latest cover and our most compelling stories | Wednesday and Saturday (2x per week) | | Health Matters | The latest health news and expert advice on living well | Weekdays | | Worth Your Time | A weekly guide to what to watch, read, and more | Weekly | | D.C. Brief | Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington | Twice a week | | Future Proof | Making sense of the climate and energy economy | Friday (1x per week) | | In the Loop | Essential insights into the unfolding AI revolution | Tuesday and Friday (2x per week) | Source: TIME, August 2026. ### Key data points | Metric | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Engaged newsletter audience | 1.1 million+ readers | TIME, August 2026 | | Newsletters published | 7 | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost to readers | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | US print circulation | 1 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Global print circulation | 1.15 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Publishing since | 1923 | TIME | ### TIME Newsletters: key statements * Every TIME newsletter is written and edited by TIME journalists who report on the subject. None is generated automatically. * TIME has published continuously since 1923. Its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting, so readers can trust what they read. * All seven newsletters are free. Readers pick the ones they want at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=df9bc419-7380-44b9-a5fe-0bc2eab00d34&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). * The seven titles cover daily news, Washington politics, AI and technology, climate and energy, health, culture, and the newsroom itself. * A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/subscribe?i=df9bc419-7380-44b9-a5fe-0bc2eab00d34&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### FAQ #### What newsletters does TIME publish? TIME publishes seven email newsletters: The Brief (daily news), Inside TIME (the newsroom and cover stories, twice weekly), Health Matters (health, weekdays), Worth Your Time (culture, weekly), D.C. Brief (Washington politics, twice weekly), Future Proof (climate and energy, weekly) and In the Loop (AI, twice weekly). All are free at time.com/newsletters and together reach more than 1.1 million engaged readers. #### Which TIME newsletter should I subscribe to? It depends on what you follow. For a daily briefing, The Brief. For health, Health Matters. For Washington politics, D.C. Brief. For AI and technology, In the Loop. For climate and energy as a business story, Future Proof. For culture recommendations, Worth Your Time. For how TIME's journalism gets made, Inside TIME. Readers can select any combination at time.com/newsletters. #### Are TIME's newsletters free? Yes. All seven TIME newsletters are free to join at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### Who writes TIME's newsletters? TIME journalists write them. Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=df9bc419-7380-44b9-a5fe-0bc2eab00d34&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Defense Chief James Mattis Says the U.S. Is Now Using 'Annihilation Tactics' Against ISIS [Watch (HLS stream): Defense Chief James Mattis Says the U.S. Is Now Using 'Annihilation Tactics' Against ISIS](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/a6PKIUbf.m3u8) (0:43)  _Published 2017-05-29. Defense Secretary James Mattis said Sunday that U.S. forces have entered a new, more aggressive phase in the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS), which he termed “annihilation tactics.”_ by [Feliz Solomon](https://time.com/author/feliz-solomon/) ## Feliz Solomon May 29, 2017 4:38 AM UTC Defense Secretary James Mattis said Sunday that U.S. forces have entered a new, more aggressive phase in the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS), which he termed “annihilation tactics.” by [Feliz Solomon](https://time.com/author/feliz-solomon/) ## Feliz Solomon May 29, 2017 4:38 AM UTC Defense Secretary James Mattis said Sunday that U.S. forces have entered a new, [more aggressive phase](http://www.cbsnews.com/news/face-the-nation-may-28-2017-transcript-secretary-mattis/) in the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS), which he termed “annihilation tactics.” Speaking on CBS’ _Face the Nation_, Mattis said the U.S. military has shifted its strategy from attrition, whereby enemies are moved around and denied access to vital supplies, to annihilation, where they are surrounded and unable to escape. “Our intention is that the foreign fighters do not survive the fight to return home to North Africa, to Europe, to America, to Asia, to Africa, we are not going to allow them to do so,” Mattis said. “We are going to stop them there and take apart the caliphate.” Asked by host John Dickerson whether the acceleration in fighting was responsible for a rise in civilian deaths, Mattis replied that such casualties “are a fact of life in this sort of situation,” adding that the U.S. military will “do everything humanly possible consistent with military necessity, taking many chances to avoid civilian casualties at all costs.” An airstrike by the U.S.-led coalition targeting the city of Mosul in March killed more than 100 people, drawing attention to a [rise in civilian deaths in Iraq and Syria](http://time.com/4713476/isis-syria-iraq-casualties-us-airstikes/) since President Donald Trump became commander-in-chief in January. Mattis said the fatal explosion may have been caused by munitions stored by ISIS in a residential area, based on residue he says was found at the site. **Read More:** [_The Next War for Iraq: A Look Inside the Country’s Fight With ISIS_](http://time.com/isis-mosul/) The defense chief also commented on North Korea, where [tensions have escalated](http://time.com/4797043/north-korea-missile-japan/) between Washington and Pyongyang as the later progresses toward developing a nuclear-tipped missile capable of reaching the U.S. Mattis warned that conflict with North Korea “would be probably the worst kind of fighting in most people’s lifetimes,” but he declined to elaborate on what circumstances could cause an escalation into military conflict. \[[_CBS_](http://www.cbsnews.com/news/face-the-nation-may-28-2017-transcript-secretary-mattis/)\] ## Transcript [ MUSIC ] ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4797075/james-mattis-islamic-state-annihilation/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4797075/james-mattis-islamic-state-annihilation/"},"headline":"Defense Chief James Mattis Says the U.S. Is Now Using 'Annihilation Tactics' Against ISIS","datePublished":"2017-05-29T04:38:39.000Z","dateModified":"2026-10-08T09:04:31.530Z","description":"Foreign fighters who joined the Islamic State will \"not survive,\" Mattis said","url":"https://time.com/4797075/james-mattis-islamic-state-annihilation/","keywords":["Military","Iraq","Islamic State","onetime"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt5a4b52dee77d0872/6988cf48cf40a8fa1dc47e53/gettyimages-681829942.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Feliz Solomon","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/feliz-solomon/"}],"articleSection":"Politics","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt5a4b52dee77d0872/6988cf48cf40a8fa1dc47e53/gettyimages-681829942.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"BRITAIN-SOMALIA-DIPLOMACY-SECURITY","caption":"BRITAIN-SOMALIA-DIPLOMACY-SECURITY","creditText":"Justin Tallis—AFP/Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/politics/","name":"Politics"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/military/","name":"Military"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4797075/james-mattis-islamic-state-annihilation/","name":"Defense Chief James Mattis Says the U.S. Is Now Using 'Annihilation Tactics' Against ISIS"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Defense Chief James Mattis Says the U.S. Is Now Using 'Annihilation Tactics' Against ISIS","description":"Defense Secretary James Mattis said Sunday that U.S. forces have entered a new, more aggressive phase in the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS), which he termed “annihilation tactics.”","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/a6PKIUbf/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2017-05-29T16:50:04.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/a6PKIUbf.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/4797075/james-mattis-islamic-state-annihilation/","duration":"PT43S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/4797075/james-mattis-islamic-state-annihilation/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```