EDGARTOWN, Mass., Shawwal 21, 1435, Aug 17, 2014, SPA -- The White House said on Sunday that President Barack Obama had informed Congress he authorized U.S. air strikes in Iraq to help retake control of the Mosul Dam, which it said was consistent with his goal of protecting U.S. citizens in the country, Reuters reported. "The failure of the Mosul Dam could threaten the lives of large numbers of civilians, threaten U.S. personnel and facilities - including the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad - and prevent the Iraqi government from providing critical services to the Iraqi populace," the White House said in a statement. "These operations are limited in their nature, duration, and scope and are being undertaken in coordination with and at the request of the government of Iraq." --SPA 23:44 LOCAL TIME 20:44 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/w