Joint Anglo-French Airstrike Targets IS Arms Cache in Syria
RAF Typhoon jets have joined forces with French warplanes in a joint strike targeting an underground arms cache in Syria employed by the Daesh militant organization, per a report from the UK's MoD.
The site, identified by intelligence, was believed to be containing munitions and bombs, the announcement noted, and was positioned in mountainous terrain just above the historic site of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"The RAF jets employed Paveway IV guided bombs to strike a number of access tunnels down to the site... preliminary assessments suggest the objective was successfully hit," the ministry announced.
There was no sign of any harm to civilians in the strike on Saturday evening and all the aircraft returned to base without incident, the defence officials confirmed.
The Typhoon fighters were backed up by a Voyager tanker plane.
Daesh - also known as Daesh - established jihadist rule over significant areas in both Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This operation underscores British leadership, and resolve to stand shoulder to shoulder with our allies, to eliminate any revival of IS and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the area," Britain's Defence Chief the minister stated.
UK warplanes have conducted surveillance missions over Syria to "deter any efforts to regroup" of Islamic State subsequent to its defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I want to thank every member of our armed forces participating in this strike for their professionalism and their valour," the Defence Secretary added. "Including them were a great many British troops on duty over Christmas and New Year. This action, to remove militants who threaten our security, demonstrates how UK forces are ready to step up, all year round, ensuring Britain's security domestically and powerful internationally."
During December, the American forces conducted what it termed a "major assault" on IS targets in the country, after an attack claimed the lives of two US troops and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The UN says IS still boasts roughly 5-7 thousand combatants in Iraq and Syria.