Coordinated Anglo-French Aerial Assault Hits IS Arms Cache in Syria

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

The site, pinpointed through reconnaissance, was thought to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the announcement noted, and was positioned in hills just north of the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria's central region.

"Our aircraft used laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to hit a series of entry passages leading to the depot... preliminary assessments are that the objective was successfully hit," the MoD said.

There was no evidence of any civilian casualties in the strike late on Saturday and each participating jet made a safe return, the ministry further stated.

The British jets were assisted by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.

Daesh - alternatively referred to as the so-called Islamic State - enforced militant control over parts of Syria and Iraq until 2019.

"This operation underscores British leadership, and commitment to stand shoulder to shoulder with allied nations, to stamp out any re-emergence of Daesh and their violent and radical beliefs in the Middle East," the British Defence Secretary John Healey remarked.

British military aircraft have carried out overwatch operations over Syria to "prevent any attempted comeback" of the group following its routing at the climactic battle in Baghuz in the year 2019, the authorities noted.

"I extend gratitude to the personnel of the UK armed forces who took part in this operation for their professionalism and their bravery," Healey said. "Including them were thousands of British troops on duty over Christmas and New Year. This mission, to remove militants who threaten our security, demonstrates how British military are ready to step up, throughout the year, protecting the UK domestically and powerful internationally."

Last December, the United States armed forces carried out what it termed a "large-scale strike" on Daesh sites in Syria, subsequent to an ambush resulted in the deaths of two American soldiers and a civilian interpreter in the Palmyra area.

The United Nations estimates Islamic State still maintains between 5,000 and 7,000 combatants in Syria and Iraq.