The US Air Force found and destroyed an ISIS base less than 24 hours after 'some moron' started bragging about the headquarters on social media.

Airmen in the intelligence unit at Hurlburt Field in Florida were looking for information when they found a picture posted of a militant standing at his command.

They then looked into his online presence further and found more posts with him bragging about the control and command capabilities which provided them with enough information to find out more.

Iraqi Shiite fighters from the Popular Mobilization units hold a position on the Tharthar frontline on the edge of Anbar province, 120kms northwest of Baghdad, on June 1, 2015. File picture

Intelligence: Air Force General Herbert 'Hawk' Carlisle, head of Air Combat Command explained in Washington how the Air Force is using new tactics against ISIS

The command centre had been destroyed by air strikes less than a day after officers found the original post, reports DT Defensetech.

Air Force General Herbert 'Hawk' Carlisle, head of Air Combat Command, said: 'They’re combing through social media and they see some moron standing at this command. And in some social media, open forum, bragging about the command and control capabilities for Daesh, ISIL.

'These guys go: "We got an in" so they do some work, long story short, about 22 hours later through that very building, three [Joint Direct Attack Munitions] take that entire building out.

'It was a post on social media to bombs on target in less than 24 hours. Incredible work when you think about,' he added at a breakfast meeting in Washington DC.

The militant group is known for it's use of social media to push propaganda and recruit members but on this occasion, it led to their undoing.

The story from General Carlisle offers an insight into how American forces are now using social media to gain intelligence.

Many observers have questioned how the US is producing targets in Iraq and Syria for coalition fighters and bombers with few boots on the ground.

General Hawk Carlisle believes that satellite communications will be primary attack targets for advanced enemies in the future

But General Carlisle offered a window into at least part of the process, although he would not give away exactly where the target they hit was located.

Air Force intelligence officials have said their collection efforts must utilise a wide network of tools to include social media in order to keep up with the enemy.

And General Carlisle used the story to highlight how, with the right intelligence, the Air Force doesn’t need to deploy as many airmen as it may have in the past.

He said the Air Force still needs a presence in deployed locations, but maybe not as large a footprint as the service required in the past.

'It’s about how can you build that system for the future,' he added.

However, he warned that wars and conflicts in the future won’t allow the US military as much freedom to pass on intelligence like the social media tip collected in Florida as easily in the future.