Joint British-French Aerial Assault Strikes Daesh Arms Cache in Syria
Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have operated alongside France's air force in a joint strike on an hidden munitions depot in Syria employed by the IS group, per a report from the UK Ministry of Defence.
The site, located using intelligence, was thought to be storing arms and explosives, the announcement noted, and was situated in hills just to the north of the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our fighter planes employed Paveway IV guided bombs to hit a several access tunnels providing entry to the site... preliminary assessments indicate the objective was successfully hit," the MoD said.
There was no sign of any civilian impact in the strike conducted Saturday night and every plane involved returned safely, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon FGR4s were supported by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
The Islamic State group - also known as ISIS - imposed jihadist rule over significant areas in Iraq and Syria prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This strike underscores the UK's leading role, and resolve to work closely with our partners, to eliminate any revival of Daesh and their violent and radical beliefs in the area," Britain's Defence Chief the minister said.
British military aircraft have conducted patrols over Syria to "deter any attempted comeback" of Islamic State subsequent to its defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I extend gratitude to every member of the UK armed forces who took part in this operation for their skill and their valour," he added. "They were among thousands of British troops on duty over Christmas and New Year. This operation, to eliminate terrorist threats who pose a risk to our security, demonstrates how British military are ready to step up, all year round, keeping Britain secure within its borders and powerful internationally."
Last December, the American forces carried out what it called a "large-scale strike" against Islamic State objectives in Syria, following an assault claimed the lives of two American soldiers and a civilian linguist in the Palmyra area.
The UN estimates Islamic State still maintains roughly 5-7 thousand militants in Iraq and Syria.
