Coordinated British-French Airstrike Targets Islamic State Arms Cache in the Syrian region
RAF Typhoon jets have conducted a mission with France's air force in a coordinated attack against an subterranean weapons facility in Syrian territory used by the Daesh militant organization, according to the UK Ministry of Defence.
The location, located using reconnaissance, was assessed as storing arms and explosives, the statement said, and was situated in hills just north of the historic site of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"The RAF jets employed Paveway IV guided bombs to strike a several approach shafts providing entry to the site... initial indications suggest the objective was successfully hit," the MoD said.
There was no evidence of any civilian impact in the attack on Saturday evening and each participating jet returned to base without incident, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon fighters were backed up by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
Daesh - also known as Daesh - imposed militant control over large swathes of both Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This strike demonstrates the UK's leading role, and determination to work closely with our partners, to eliminate any resurgence of the terrorist group and their violent and radical beliefs in the region," UK Defence Secretary the minister remarked.
British military aircraft have conducted surveillance missions over Syria to "prevent any attempted comeback" of the group after its defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in the year 2019, the ministry said.
"I must thank the personnel of British forces involved in this mission for their professionalism and their valour," he added. "They were among thousands of British personnel stationed over Christmas and New Year. This operation, to eliminate militants who pose a risk to our way of life, shows how UK forces are prepared to act, continuously, protecting the UK domestically and strong abroad."
In December, the American forces conducted what it termed a "large-scale strike" targeting Daesh sites in Syria, following an attack resulted in the deaths of two US servicemembers and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.
The United Nations says Daesh still has between 5,000 and 7,000 militants in Iraq and Syria.
