Forces in Syria and Iran are aiding Iraq in the fight against militant Sunni insurgents attempting to take over the country.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki confirmed on Thursday that Syrian warplanes targeted Sunni militants on Tuesday on the by the Iraqi-Syrian border. Although he welcomed the support, he said he did not request the Syrian air attacks, VOAnews.com reported. The al-Qaida splinter group known as Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (or ISIS) has used the border area as a gateway to take over large different areas.

In addition, Iran is supporting the Shiite-led government by supplying tons of military equipment and flying surveillance drones in the Iraqi skies.

While the Syrian Army warplanes bombed Sunni strongholds in western Iraq and Iran reportedly shipping military equipment to Iraq and flying unarmed surveillance drones over the country, the U.S. sent in the first U.S. Special Forces to Baghdad Tuesday.

40 troops assigned to Iraq were deployed part of a group of 300 military advisers that President Obama promised to send to the country.

According to officials in Anbar province, at least 57 Iraqi civilians were killed and over 120 people were wounded on Tuesday after the Syrian regime bombed the area using planes that bore the Syrian flag, CNN reported.

The Washington Post reported that the Syrian government bombed Sunni militant targets in Iraq. Other news outlets reported that the attacks near Iraq's western border were carried out by U.S. drones.

"We're aware of reports that the Syrian government has taken strikes against targets in Iraq," White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said in response on Wednesday. "We have no reason to dispute those reports. But for confirmation or additional details about what those strikes may have included, I'd refer you to the government in Iraq."