A statement by the Defense Ministry’s Joint Operations Command said the operation aims to kill Daesh militants and destroy their hideouts across the country.
It added the offensive is supported by the Iraqi Air Force and the US-led international coalition against Daesh.
In 2017, Iraq declared victory over Daesh by reclaiming all territories the terrorist group controlled since the summer of 2014, which was estimated to be about a third of the country’s territory.
The group, however, still maintains sleeper cells in large areas in Iraq and occasionally launches sporadic attacks.