Combined Anglo-French Aerial Assault Targets Daesh Weapons Depot in the Syrian region
British Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have operated alongside French aircraft in a joint strike against an subterranean weapons facility in Syrian territory used by the Daesh militant organization, as stated by the UK's MoD.
The location, located using surveillance, was assessed as containing munitions and bombs, the statement said, and was situated in mountains just above the historic site of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"Our fighter planes utilized laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to target a series of approach shafts leading to the facility... preliminary assessments suggest the strike was effective," the ministry announced.
There was no sign of any civilian casualties in the operation conducted Saturday night and every plane involved returned safely, the defence officials confirmed.
The Typhoon FGR4s were backed up by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
IS - referred to as Daesh - enforced militant control over significant areas in both Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This strike shows the UK's leading role, and determination to work closely with our allies, to stamp out any revival of IS and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the Middle East," Britain's Defence Chief the minister remarked.
UK warplanes have performed surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "prevent any attempted comeback" of IS after its defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the ministry said.
"I must thank all the members of the UK armed forces participating in this strike for their expertise and their valour," the Defence Secretary said. "They were among a great many UK service members on duty over the festive period. This mission, to take out militants who endanger our way of life, shows how our armed forces are prepared to act, continuously, ensuring Britain's security domestically and strong abroad."
Last December, the American forces conducted what it called a "major assault" on IS targets in the country, following an attack claimed the lives of two US troops and a civilian interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The UN says IS still boasts an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 fighters in Syria and Iraq.