Joint UK-French Airstrike Hits Islamic State Munitions Store in the Syrian region

RAF Typhoon FGR4s have joined forces with French aircraft in a joint strike targeting an underground arms cache in Syrian territory operated by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the UK Ministry of Defence.

The site, identified by reconnaissance, was thought to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the statement said, and was located in mountains just north of the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria.

"The RAF jets utilized precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to strike a number of entry passages leading to the depot... preliminary assessments suggest the objective was successfully hit," officials stated.

There was no evidence of any harm to civilians in the attack on Saturday evening and each participating jet returned to base without incident, the defence officials confirmed.

The Typhoon fighters were assisted by a Voyager refuelling tanker.

The Islamic State group - referred to as Daesh - established extremist governance over significant areas in both Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.

"This action shows our UK leadership, and resolve to operate in unison with our allies, to eliminate any re-emergence of Daesh and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the region," the British Defence Secretary the minister said.

UK warplanes have conducted surveillance missions over Syria to "forestall any efforts to regroup" of Islamic State following its defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the ministry said.

"I must thank the personnel of British forces participating in this mission for their professionalism and their courage," the Defence Secretary added. "They were part of numerous British troops on duty over Christmas and New Year. This mission, to remove militants who threaten our way of life, shows how our armed forces are prepared to act, throughout the year, ensuring Britain's security at home and influential overseas."

Last December, the American forces carried out what it called a "massive strike" against Islamic State objectives in the country, after an ambush resulted in the deaths of two US troops and a civilian linguist in Palmyra.

The United Nations says IS still boasts between 5,000 and 7,000 combatants in both countries.