Joint British-French Air Strike Hits Islamic State Weapons Depot in the Syrian region

British Air Force Typhoon jets have joined forces with French warplanes in a combined operation against an subterranean weapons facility in Syria used by the IS group, as stated by the UK's MoD.

The site, located using intelligence, was believed to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the release indicated, and was located in hills just above the historic site of Palmyra in central Syria.

"Our fighter planes utilized precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to target a number of access tunnels providing entry to the facility... initial indications are that the objective was successfully hit," the MoD said.

There was no evidence of any civilian impact in the strike conducted Saturday night and all the aircraft returned to base without incident, the MoD added.

The Typhoon FGR4s were backed up by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.

Daesh - alternatively referred to as ISIS - imposed jihadist rule over parts of both Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.

"This action demonstrates British leadership, and commitment to work closely with our allies, to eradicate any revival of the terrorist group and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the Middle East," the British Defence Secretary the minister stated.

RAF aircraft have conducted surveillance missions over Syria to "deter any efforts to regroup" of the group after its defeat at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.

"I extend gratitude to every member of British forces involved in this mission for their expertise and their bravery," the Defence Secretary commented. "Including them were a great many British troops stationed over the holidays. This operation, to remove dangerous terrorists who endanger our safety, highlights how UK forces are ready to step up, throughout the year, keeping Britain secure within its borders and influential overseas."

During December, the American forces conducted what it termed a "large-scale strike" against Islamic State objectives in Syria, subsequent to an ambush resulted in the deaths of two US servicemembers and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.

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