Combined UK-French Aerial Assault Strikes Islamic State Weapons Depot in the Syrian region
Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have joined forces with French warplanes in a combined operation targeting an hidden munitions depot in Syria employed by the Daesh militant organization, according to the British defence ministry.
The facility, pinpointed through surveillance, was assessed as housing weapons and explosive materials, the release indicated, and was located in mountains just north of the historic site of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"The RAF jets employed precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to hit a several access tunnels providing entry to the facility... initial indications are that the strike was effective," officials stated.
There was no sign of any civilian impact in the attack conducted Saturday night and every plane involved returned to base without incident, the MoD added.
The Typhoon FGR4s were backed up by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
The Islamic State group - alternatively referred to as the so-called Islamic State - established militant control over large swathes of Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This operation underscores our UK leadership, and determination to work closely with our partners, to stamp out any revival of Daesh and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the region," UK Defence Secretary the minister said.
RAF aircraft have conducted surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "forestall any attempted resurgence" of IS subsequent to its routing at the battle of 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," he added. "They were among numerous British personnel deployed over the festive period. This action, to eliminate militants who threaten our security, shows how UK forces are always on standby, continuously, protecting the UK at home and influential overseas."
Last December, the US military conducted what it described as a "massive strike" targeting IS targets in Syria, following an ambush killed two US servicemembers and a civilian linguist in the Palmyra area.
The United Nations says Daesh still has roughly 5-7 thousand combatants in both countries.
