Combined British-French Airstrike Targets IS Weapons Depot in the Syrian region

RAF Typhoon fighter aircraft have operated alongside French aircraft in a combined operation on an underground arms cache in Syrian territory employed by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the British defence ministry.

The facility, pinpointed through surveillance, was thought to be storing arms and explosives, the statement said, and was positioned in mountainous terrain just above Palmyra in the heart of Syria.

"Our fighter planes employed laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to target a several entry passages providing entry to the site... preliminary assessments suggest the strike was effective," the ministry announced.

There was no sign of any harm to civilians in the strike conducted Saturday night and every plane involved returned to base without incident, the defence officials confirmed.

The British jets were assisted by a Voyager refuelling tanker.

Daesh - alternatively referred to as Daesh - imposed jihadist rule over large swathes of both Syria and Iraq until 2019.

"This operation underscores British leadership, and determination to stand shoulder to shoulder with allied nations, to stamp out any revival of the terrorist group and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the area," the British Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary said.

RAF aircraft have conducted overwatch operations over Syria to "prevent any attempted resurgence" of the group following its military defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the MoD reported.

"I extend gratitude to the personnel of our armed forces involved in this operation for their professionalism and their valour," Healey commented. "They were among a great many UK service members on duty over the holidays. This mission, to remove dangerous terrorists who pose a risk to our security, demonstrates how our armed forces are prepared to act, all year round, protecting the UK domestically and strong abroad."

Last December, the US military carried out what it termed a "massive strike" on Islamic State objectives in Syria, after an attack killed two US troops and a civilian interpreter in the Palmyra area.

The United Nations says Daesh still boasts between 5,000 and 7,000 combatants in Iraq and Syria.