Combined Anglo-French Air Strike Strikes Islamic State Munitions Store in Syria
Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have conducted a mission with France's air force in a joint strike against an subterranean weapons facility in Syrian territory used by the IS group, according to the UK's MoD.
The facility, located using reconnaissance, was thought to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the statement said, and was located in mountains just above Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our fighter planes used Paveway IV guided bombs to hit a number of entry passages providing entry to the facility... initial indications suggest the objective was successfully hit," the ministry announced.
There was no indication of any civilian casualties in the operation late on Saturday and every plane involved returned to base without incident, the defence officials confirmed.
The Typhoon fighters were supported by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
IS - referred to as Daesh - enforced militant control over large swathes of Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This strike shows the UK's leading role, and determination to work closely with our partners, to eradicate any resurgence of the terrorist group and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the region," the British Defence Secretary the minister remarked.
British military aircraft have carried out overwatch operations over Syria to "forestall any attempted comeback" of Islamic State following its defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in the year 2019, the MoD reported.
"I must thank every member of our armed forces involved in this strike for their skill and their bravery," Healey added. "Including them were thousands of UK service members on duty over the holidays. This mission, to remove terrorist threats who threaten our way of life, highlights how UK forces are prepared to act, all year round, protecting the UK at home and powerful internationally."
During December, the American forces conducted what it termed a "large-scale strike" on Daesh sites in the country, subsequent to an attack killed two American soldiers and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.
The U.N. reports Daesh still has between 5,000 and 7,000 combatants in both countries.
