Coordinated Anglo-French Airstrike Hits IS Arms Cache in the Syrian region
RAF Typhoon jets have joined forces with French aircraft in a combined operation against an subterranean weapons facility in Syrian territory operated by the Daesh militant organization, per a report from the UK's MoD.
The facility, located using reconnaissance, was thought to be containing munitions and bombs, the release indicated, and was positioned in mountains just to the north of the historic site of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"The RAF jets used laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to strike a several access tunnels leading to the site... early reports suggest the objective was successfully hit," the ministry announced.
There was no indication of any civilian impact in the operation conducted Saturday night and each participating jet made a safe return, the MoD added.
The Typhoon FGR4s were assisted by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
IS - alternatively referred to as ISIS - enforced extremist governance over significant areas in Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This strike demonstrates our UK leadership, and determination to stand shoulder to shoulder with our allies, to stamp out any resurgence of Daesh and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the Middle East," UK Defence Secretary John Healey stated.
British military aircraft have conducted patrols over Syrian airspace to "prevent any attempted resurgence" of IS after its defeat at the battle of Baghuz in the year 2019, the authorities noted.
"I must thank all the members of the UK armed forces involved in this operation for their professionalism and their valour," the Defence Secretary added. "They were among numerous UK service members deployed over the festive period. This operation, to eliminate dangerous terrorists who threaten our safety, highlights how British military are ready to step up, continuously, protecting the UK at home and strong abroad."
During December, the American forces executed what it described as a "large-scale strike" targeting Daesh sites in Syria, following an attack resulted in the deaths of two US troops and a local interpreter in Palmyra.
The UN says Daesh still maintains roughly 5-7 thousand combatants in both countries.