RAF Typhoons have participated in a coordinated airstrike with French aircraft on an underground facility in Syria previously held by Islamic State militants for storing weapons and explosives, according to the Ministry of Defence. The operation involved the use of precision-guided bombs to target access tunnels leading to the site, situated in a mountainous area near the historic city of Palmyra in central Syria on Saturday night.
The facility, suspected to have been utilized for weapon storage, was located in an uninhabited area, the ministry confirmed. Defence Secretary John Healey emphasized the UK’s commitment to collaborating with allies to combat any potential resurgence of the terrorist organization, also known as Islamic State.
Healey expressed gratitude to the armed forces personnel involved in the mission to eradicate dangerous terrorists who pose a threat to societal security. The ongoing threat posed by Islamic State was underscored by the case of the Manchester synagogue attacker, who declared allegiance to the group during a 999 call made in the aftermath of the incident in October.
Jihad Al-Shamie, the perpetrator, contacted emergency services himself shortly after the initial public report of the attack, taking responsibility and pledging allegiance to Islamic State, as confirmed by Counter Terrorism Policing North West. Al-Shamie was fatally shot by law enforcement outside the Heaton Park Congregation Synagogue in Manchester, following a violent spree involving a car ramming, knife attacks on pedestrians, and an attempted intrusion into the synagogue.
In a separate report by the Mirror in November, it was revealed that Islamic State had for the first time employed artificial intelligence to recruit potential British jihadists, causing concerns within the UK’s intelligence agencies.