Joint Anglo-French Airstrike Targets IS Arms Cache in Syria

British Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have operated alongside French aircraft in a joint strike targeting an subterranean weapons facility in Syrian territory used by the Islamic State group (IS), as stated by the UK Ministry of Defence.

The location, pinpointed through surveillance, was thought to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the announcement noted, and was situated in mountains just north of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.

"Our aircraft employed Paveway IV guided bombs to hit a series of access tunnels leading to the depot... initial indications indicate the target was engaged successfully," the ministry announced.

There was no sign of any civilian casualties in the operation late on Saturday and every plane involved made a safe return, the ministry further stated.

The Typhoon FGR4s were supported by a Voyager tanker plane.

The Islamic State group - alternatively referred to as ISIS - established extremist governance over large swathes of Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.

"This strike underscores our UK leadership, and determination to operate in unison with our partners, to eliminate any re-emergence of Daesh and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the area," the British Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary said.

British military aircraft have conducted overwatch operations over Syrian airspace to "prevent any attempted resurgence" of the group following its defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the ministry said.

"I extend gratitude to every member of our armed forces participating in this mission for their expertise and their bravery," Healey said. "They were among thousands of UK service members deployed over the holidays. This action, to take out militants who endanger our way of life, shows how our armed forces are always on standby, all year round, protecting the UK at home and influential overseas."

In December, the US military carried out what it termed a "large-scale strike" on Daesh sites in Syria, subsequent to an attack claimed the lives of two US servicemembers and a civilian linguist in Palmyra.

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