Coordinated UK-French Airstrike Strikes Daesh Weapons Depot in the Syrian region

Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have joined forces with French aircraft in a combined operation targeting an underground arms cache in Syrian territory used by the Daesh militant organization, per a report from the UK's MoD.

The facility, identified by reconnaissance, was assessed as housing weapons and explosive materials, the announcement noted, and was positioned in hills just to the north of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.

"Our fighter planes used precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to hit a series of approach shafts down to the facility... preliminary assessments suggest the objective was successfully hit," the MoD said.

There was no sign of any harm to civilians in the operation on Saturday evening and every plane involved returned safely, the defence officials confirmed.

The Typhoon fighters were supported by a Voyager refuelling tanker.

The Islamic State group - referred to as the so-called Islamic State - established militant control over significant areas in Syria and Iraq until 2019.

"This strike underscores the UK's leading role, and commitment to stand shoulder to shoulder with allied nations, to eradicate any re-emergence of IS and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the region," UK Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary said.

UK warplanes have conducted overwatch operations over Syrian airspace to "prevent any attempted comeback" of IS subsequent to its military defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the authorities noted.

"I want to thank all the members of British forces who took part in this operation for their skill and their courage," Healey said. "Including them were thousands of British troops on duty over the holidays. This operation, to take out dangerous terrorists who threaten our safety, highlights how British military are always on standby, all year round, ensuring Britain's security within its borders and powerful internationally."

Last December, the United States armed forces executed what it described as a "major assault" targeting IS targets in the country, after an ambush claimed the lives of two US troops and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.

The United Nations says Islamic State still maintains an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 fighters in Iraq and Syria.