đź”— Share this article Joint Anglo-French Airstrike Strikes Daesh Arms Cache in the Syrian region A file photo of an RAF Typhoon fighter jet Royal Air Force Typhoon jets have joined forces with France's air force in a coordinated attack targeting an underground arms cache in Syrian territory used by the IS group, according to the UK Ministry of Defence. The location, identified by surveillance, was assessed as housing weapons and explosive materials, the statement said, and was positioned in mountainous terrain just above the historic site of Palmyra in the heart of Syria. "The RAF jets utilized precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to strike a series of entry passages leading to the facility... preliminary assessments suggest the objective was successfully hit," the ministry announced. There was no evidence of any civilian casualties in the operation on Saturday evening and each participating jet returned to base without incident, the ministry further stated. The Typhoon fighters were assisted by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft. The Islamic State group - alternatively referred to as the so-called Islamic State - established jihadist rule over parts of Iraq and Syria before its territorial defeat in 2019. "This operation shows British leadership, and commitment to work closely with our allies, to stamp out any resurgence of Daesh and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the region," Britain's Defence Chief John Healey remarked. RAF aircraft have performed patrols over Syrian airspace to "prevent any attempted comeback" of IS following its routing at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the ministry said. "I want to thank all the members of the UK armed forces involved in this strike for their professionalism and their courage," the Defence Secretary said. "They were part of thousands of UK service members stationed over the festive period. This mission, to eliminate militants who pose a risk to our way of life, highlights how British military are ready to step up, throughout the year, keeping Britain secure at home and influential overseas." During December, the United States armed forces carried out what it termed a "major assault" targeting IS targets in the country, after an assault claimed the lives of two US troops and a civilian linguist in Palmyra. The U.N. reports Daesh still boasts between 5,000 and 7,000 combatants in Syria and Iraq.
A file photo of an RAF Typhoon fighter jet Royal Air Force Typhoon jets have joined forces with France's air force in a coordinated attack targeting an underground arms cache in Syrian territory used by the IS group, according to the UK Ministry of Defence. The location, identified by surveillance, was assessed as housing weapons and explosive materials, the statement said, and was positioned in mountainous terrain just above the historic site of Palmyra in the heart of Syria. "The RAF jets utilized precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to strike a series of entry passages leading to the facility... preliminary assessments suggest the objective was successfully hit," the ministry announced. There was no evidence of any civilian casualties in the operation on Saturday evening and each participating jet returned to base without incident, the ministry further stated. The Typhoon fighters were assisted by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft. The Islamic State group - alternatively referred to as the so-called Islamic State - established jihadist rule over parts of Iraq and Syria before its territorial defeat in 2019. "This operation shows British leadership, and commitment to work closely with our allies, to stamp out any resurgence of Daesh and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the region," Britain's Defence Chief John Healey remarked. RAF aircraft have performed patrols over Syrian airspace to "prevent any attempted comeback" of IS following its routing at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the ministry said. "I want to thank all the members of the UK armed forces involved in this strike for their professionalism and their courage," the Defence Secretary said. "They were part of thousands of UK service members stationed over the festive period. This mission, to eliminate militants who pose a risk to our way of life, highlights how British military are ready to step up, throughout the year, keeping Britain secure at home and influential overseas." During December, the United States armed forces carried out what it termed a "major assault" targeting IS targets in the country, after an assault claimed the lives of two US troops and a civilian linguist in Palmyra. The U.N. reports Daesh still boasts between 5,000 and 7,000 combatants in Syria and Iraq.