Iraqi security forces and Shi'ite fighters chant slogans as they gather at Udhaim dam (Reuters)
"The attack is being carried out using fighter jets, helicopters and artillery targeting Tikrit to secure the advance and cut supply routes," he said.
Military sources said Iraqi warplanes were involved but it was not immediately clear whether foreign air support - Iranian or from the US-led coalition fighting Isil - was also called in.
Mr Abadi urged the security forces on Sunday to spare civilians during the operation.
Speaking from Samarra, the other main city in Salaheddin province, he appeared to be addressing fears of reprisals against the Tikrit area's Sunni population.
"The priority we gave to the armed forces and all the forces taking part alongside them is to preserve the security of citizens," he told reporters.
On social media, he called "for utmost care in protecting civilian lives and property."
Hadi al-Ameri, the Popular Mobilisation commander and a central figure in Iraq's fightback against Isil, appealed to Tikrit residents on Saturday to leave their homes within 48 hours so government forces could "wrap up the battle of the revenge for Speicher".
Speicher is a military base near Tikrit from which hundreds of new, mostly Shia, recruits were kidnapped before being executed in the early days of the Isil offensive that swept through much of the Sunni Arab heartland north and west of Baghdad last June.
Shia militias in particular have vowed to avenge the Speicher executions, sparking fears of mass killings against Sunnis if Tikrit were to be recaptured.
Some Sunni tribes in the Tikrit area have been accused of direct involvement in the Speicher massacre.
Abadi appealed to residents to turn against the jihadists, who have suffered a string of military losses since Iraq's foreign partners stepped up their support.
"I call on all those who were misled and made mistakes in the past to lay down their arms today. This may be the last chance," Mr Abadi said, suggesting some could be granted amnesty.
Iraqi forces tried and failed several times to wrest back Tikrit, a Sunni Arab city on the Tigris river around 160 kilometres (100 miles) north of Baghdad.
Source: Top Stories - Google News - http://ift.tt/1AuUh3D
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