Joint Anglo-French Airstrike Hits IS Arms Cache in the Syrian region
RAF Typhoon jets have joined forces with French aircraft in a coordinated attack against an subterranean weapons facility in Syria employed by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the British defence ministry.
The location, located using surveillance, was thought to be storing arms and explosives, the release indicated, and was situated in hills just to the north of Palmyra in central Syria.
"The RAF jets utilized precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to target a number of entry passages down to the depot... initial indications are that the strike was effective," the MoD said.
There was no evidence of any harm to civilians in the attack conducted Saturday night and each participating jet returned safely, the MoD added.
The Typhoon FGR4s were backed up by a Voyager tanker plane.
Daesh - also known as ISIS - established jihadist rule over large swathes of Iraq and Syria before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This strike underscores our UK leadership, and determination to operate in unison with our partners, to eradicate any re-emergence of Daesh and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the area," Britain's Defence Chief John Healey said.
British military aircraft have performed patrols over Syria to "forestall any attempted resurgence" of IS subsequent to its defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the authorities noted.
"I extend gratitude to all the members of British forces involved in this operation for their expertise and their valour," he commented. "They were among numerous British personnel on duty over Christmas and New Year. This mission, to remove dangerous terrorists who pose a risk to our safety, shows how our armed forces are ready to step up, all year round, ensuring Britain's security domestically and strong abroad."
Last December, the United States armed forces executed what it termed a "large-scale strike" on IS targets in Syria, subsequent to an ambush resulted in the deaths of two US servicemembers and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The U.N. reports Islamic State still maintains roughly 5-7 thousand militants in Syria and Iraq.