War on terror

Islamic State fight will continue on multiple fronts in 2016

The battle against the Islamic State group is likely to remain the center of attention into 2016, but it is unlikely to expand into an all-out ground war in which U.S. soldiers and Marines slug it out with the militants.

No one thinks the Islamic State group will be defeated anytime soon, and defense officials acknowledge there is no firm timeline for ousting the militants from their strongholds. And exactly how the battle will be waged, and possibly expanded, in the months ahead remains unclear.

On a rare visit to the Pentagon on Dec. 14, Obama reiterated that his administration remains focused on fighting IS on multiple fronts, but revealed little new information about his strategy.