Joint UK-French Air Strike Hits Islamic State Weapons Depot in Syria

British Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have operated alongside French aircraft in a joint strike targeting an subterranean weapons facility in Syrian territory operated by the IS group, per a report from the UK Ministry of Defence.

The facility, pinpointed through reconnaissance, was believed to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the announcement noted, and was situated in mountains just to the north of the historic site of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.

"The RAF jets used Paveway IV guided bombs to target a number of access tunnels down to the site... early reports suggest the strike was effective," the ministry announced.

There was no sign of any civilian casualties in the attack conducted Saturday night and each participating jet returned safely, the defence officials confirmed.

The Typhoon fighters were assisted by a Voyager tanker plane.

Daesh - referred to as ISIS - established extremist governance over large swathes of Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.

"This action demonstrates British leadership, and commitment to operate in unison with our allies, to eradicate any resurgence of the terrorist group and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the Middle East," UK Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary said.

RAF aircraft have carried out surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "deter any attempted comeback" of the group following its routing at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.

"I want to thank the personnel of our armed forces involved in this mission for their expertise and their bravery," Healey added. "They were part of numerous British personnel deployed over the festive period. This operation, to take out terrorist threats who endanger our way of life, demonstrates how British military are ready to step up, continuously, protecting the UK within its borders and influential overseas."

In December, the American forces conducted what it described as a "large-scale strike" on IS targets in Syria, subsequent to an ambush claimed the lives of two US troops and a civilian linguist in the Palmyra area.

The UN estimates Daesh still has between 5,000 and 7,000 militants in Iraq and Syria.