Islamic State: RAF carries out four air strikes in May

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption, Two RAF Typhoons struck targets in northern Iraq as part of the operations

Royal Air Force drones and Typhoons carried out four sets of air strikes against the Islamic State group (IS) in May, the Ministry of Defence has said.

It said the strikes in northern Iraq all hit their targets.

Two similar operations in April were the UK's first strikes against the militant group in seven months.

But the MoD said the RAF had flown daily armed patrols since March 2019, when IS lost its last strongholds in Iraq and Syria.

The operations come as IS stepped up attacks on security forces in northern Iraq, reportedly while authorities were preoccupied with responding to the coronavirus pandemic.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said the actions showed UK Armed Forces were continuing to protect the country and its allies from "all those who seek to do us harm".

Image source, MOD

Image caption, The Ministry of Defence released footage of one of the strikes hitting its target

The first strike took place on 8 May, when a remotely piloted RAF Reaper destroyed a bunker, which the MoD said contained a group of IS fighters, at a location west of Tuz Khurmatu in northern Iraq.

On 10 May, two Typhoons struck a cave system identified by surveillance aircraft as occupied by IS.

Two Reapers struck another two bunkers on 13 May, while on 23 May, the MoD said a patrolling Reaper struck IS fighters hiding in woods.