Joint Anglo-French Air Strike Targets IS Munitions Store in Syria

Royal Air Force Typhoon jets have conducted a mission with France's air force in a combined operation on an underground arms cache in Syria used by the IS group, per a report from the UK Ministry of Defence.

The facility, identified by reconnaissance, was assessed as housing weapons and explosive materials, the statement said, and was located in mountainous terrain just to the north of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.

"The RAF jets used Paveway IV guided bombs to strike a number of access tunnels leading to the depot... initial indications suggest the strike was effective," officials stated.

There was no evidence of any civilian impact in the attack late on Saturday and each participating jet made a safe return, the MoD added.

The Typhoon fighters were supported by a Voyager refuelling tanker.

Daesh - referred to as ISIS - imposed militant control over large swathes of both Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.

"This action underscores our UK leadership, and resolve to work closely with our allies, to stamp out any revival of Daesh and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the region," UK Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary said.

UK warplanes have conducted overwatch operations over Syrian airspace to "forestall any attempted resurgence" of the group after its routing at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.

"I extend gratitude to the personnel of our armed forces participating in this mission for their skill and their bravery," the Defence Secretary said. "Including them were a great many British troops on duty over Christmas and New Year. This mission, to eliminate terrorist threats who endanger our safety, shows how British military are always on standby, all year round, protecting the UK at home and strong abroad."

During December, the United States armed forces executed what it called a "large-scale strike" on IS targets in Syria, subsequent to an attack killed two US troops and a civilian linguist in Palmyra.

The United Nations says IS still has an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 fighters in Syria and Iraq.