U.S. and coalition forces on Monday conducted their largest operations to date against Ramadi, hitting 67 Islamic State targets in 29 airstrikes.

The intensified air campaign coincides with Iraq's official announcement Monday it had launched operations to retake Anbar province from the Islamic State.

Ramadi fell to Islamic State forces in May, and since then U.S., coalition and Iraqi Security Forces have working on "shaping operations" — getting forces in position and lines of communication set — to retake the city.

Monday's airstrikes "struck 67 [Islamic State] staging areas destroying two [Islamic State] excavators, an [Islamic State] armored personnel carrier, and an [Islamic State] vehicle," the Defense Department said in a statement.