US forces continue to bring supplies to thousands of Iraqis threatened by militants from the Islamic State.

Video released by the military shows bundles of water and food being dropped into the Mount Sinjar region where tens of thousands of minority Yazidis are seeking shelter from the insurgents.

During a news conference in Australia, U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel told reporters the military's air strikes on militants in the region have been successful.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) US SECRETARY OF DEFENSE CHUCK HAGEL SAYING:

"On the the assessment of the effectiveness of the airstrikes- they been very effective"

The Islamic State militants are Sunni Muslim insurgents who want to establish religious rule in a region straddling Syria and Iraq.

They've reportedly killed hundreds of Yazidis- who are part of the country's Kurdish minority- and have capitalized on the country's political deadlock.

That deadlock deepened over the weekend after Prime