Coordinated Anglo-French Aerial Assault Targets Daesh Weapons Depot in the Syrian region
RAF Typhoon jets have conducted a mission with France's air force in a combined operation targeting an underground arms cache in Syria used by the Daesh militant organization, as stated by the British defence ministry.
The site, pinpointed through reconnaissance, was thought to be containing munitions and bombs, the statement said, and was located in hills just north of the historic site of Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our fighter planes utilized precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to hit a series of access tunnels down to the site... initial indications are that the target was engaged successfully," the ministry announced.
There was no sign of any civilian casualties in the strike late on Saturday and each participating jet returned safely, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon fighters were supported by a Voyager tanker plane.
IS - also known as ISIS - enforced extremist governance over large swathes of Syria and Iraq until 2019.
"This operation underscores British leadership, and commitment to work closely with our allies, to stamp out any re-emergence of the terrorist group and their violent and radical beliefs in the region," UK Defence Secretary John Healey stated.
RAF aircraft have performed surveillance missions over Syria to "prevent any efforts to regroup" of Islamic State following its defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the authorities noted.
"I must thank all the members of our armed forces participating in this mission for their professionalism and their courage," Healey said. "They were among numerous British troops on duty over the holidays. This mission, to eliminate terrorist threats who endanger our security, highlights how British military are ready to step up, throughout the year, protecting the UK domestically and strong abroad."
Last December, the American forces conducted what it termed a "massive strike" on IS targets in the country, following an attack resulted in the deaths of two US servicemembers and a civilian linguist in Palmyra.
The UN estimates Islamic State still maintains roughly 5-7 thousand combatants in both countries.
