ERBIL, Kurdistan Region--The United Kingdom has increased its air strikes into Syria in recent days by firing advanced Brimstone missiles at Islamic State (ISIS) targets.
Downing Street has said that four Brimstone missiles were used on two missions in Syria on Sunday. One reportedly targeted an ISIS vehicle in the group's Raqqa stronghold and the other three were used in an attack on the ISIS-occupied Omar oil field.
These two missions were followed by three other strikes which did not use these advanced missiles but used Paveway bombs against ISIS cranes which had been brought into the Omar field to try and repair damages caused by prior air strikes.
The Prime Minister's office did not reveal if the latest strikes were believed to have resulted in any casualties.
"These [strikes] will all have been focused on either targeting Daesh's [ISIS] resuorces or targeting Daesh terrorists who are seeking to destabilize Iraq, Syria and threatening other countries, said the British Prime Minster's spokeswoman.
Launched from Panavia Tornado jets the Brimstone are radar-guided missiles which can track moving targets with stunning precision, speed and efficiency. To date British air strikes into Syria have mostly focused on hitting ISIS's oil-related infrastructure in a bid to cripple that group.
These strikes come about a fortnight after Britain's impact in the air campaign was questioned last month. After much debate in parliament it was revealed that Britain had launched on a handful of strikes of questionable tactical importance into Syria. Which led some to wonder whether it was necessary for Britain to be operating in Syria.
Britain has been bombing ISIS forces in Iraq since late 2014. Last month it gave air support to the Iraqi military when it retook Ramadi from ISIS.
Downing Street has said that four Brimstone missiles were used on two missions in Syria on Sunday. One reportedly targeted an ISIS vehicle in the group's Raqqa stronghold and the other three were used in an attack on the ISIS-occupied Omar oil field.
These two missions were followed by three other strikes which did not use these advanced missiles but used Paveway bombs against ISIS cranes which had been brought into the Omar field to try and repair damages caused by prior air strikes.
The Prime Minister's office did not reveal if the latest strikes were believed to have resulted in any casualties.
"These [strikes] will all have been focused on either targeting Daesh's [ISIS] resuorces or targeting Daesh terrorists who are seeking to destabilize Iraq, Syria and threatening other countries, said the British Prime Minster's spokeswoman.
Launched from Panavia Tornado jets the Brimstone are radar-guided missiles which can track moving targets with stunning precision, speed and efficiency. To date British air strikes into Syria have mostly focused on hitting ISIS's oil-related infrastructure in a bid to cripple that group.
These strikes come about a fortnight after Britain's impact in the air campaign was questioned last month. After much debate in parliament it was revealed that Britain had launched on a handful of strikes of questionable tactical importance into Syria. Which led some to wonder whether it was necessary for Britain to be operating in Syria.
Britain has been bombing ISIS forces in Iraq since late 2014. Last month it gave air support to the Iraqi military when it retook Ramadi from ISIS.
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