RAF fighter jets have targeted another oilfield during their second combat mission in Syria.
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Hisham al Hashimi, an expert on Islamic State who advises the Iraqi government on the group, estimates that Western airstrikes have succeeded in reducing the amount of oil at IS’ disposal in Iraq by as much as ten times, according to the Guardian.
The aircraft, alongside Tornado jets, struck the oilfield, in eastern Syria, in an effort to cut off the militant group’s financial supply.
During his visit to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, Mr Fallon thanked military personnel.
He said: “Last night (Friday) we had the Tornados in action, the Typhoons in action and our unmanned Reapers in action – all of them striking ISIL Daesh (IS) where it hurts”.
It is understood the targets were oil fields again, and the mission involved two Typhoons and two Tornados.
(AP Photo/Pavlos Vrionides). A pilot on a British Typhoon warplane on the ground after landing at the RAF Akrotiri, a British air base near the coastal city of Limassol, Cyprus, Thursday, Dec. 3, 2015.
Eight attacks were carried out, and early reports suggest that they were successful, an MoD statement added. Defence Sectary Michael Fallon said the first strike, aiming to dent the extremists ability to sell oil, was “extremely important”.
“It’s not what we do that they oppose, it’s what we are”.
David Cameron, who is currently visiting Bulgaria, said: “We’ve now got more Typhoons and more Tornados in Cyprus ready to take action, both over the skies of Iraq and over the skies of Syria”.
But the operation depends hugely on the super-accurate Brimstone, which can nearly guarantee the destruction of its targets while minimising civilian casualties.
Smellie said: “The fact that 57 out the 59 MSPs in Scotland… did not vote for bombing Syria is something that we can be proud of”.
With the Syria mission under way, the RAF brings extra fire power to the war on Islamic State thugs – crucially Britain’s pioneering Brimstone missiles. It’s because of who we are in Britain and the West that we have this particular death cult.
RAF Tornado fighter jets had already flown an armed patrol over the east of the country “gathering intelligence on terrorist activity”, the Ministry of Defence said.
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London, Dec 5 British Royal Air Force jets carried out their second round of airstrikes against the IS in Syria, the media reported on Saturday.
