Coordinated UK-French Air Strike Hits IS Weapons Depot in Syria

RAF Typhoon fighter aircraft have operated alongside French warplanes in a joint strike targeting an subterranean weapons facility in Syrian territory employed by the Daesh militant organization, according to the UK's MoD.

The site, pinpointed through reconnaissance, was assessed as containing munitions and bombs, the statement said, and was situated in mountainous terrain just north of the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria's central region.

"Our aircraft utilized laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to strike a number of access tunnels down to the depot... preliminary assessments are that the strike was effective," the MoD said.

There was no evidence of any civilian casualties in the strike late on Saturday and all the aircraft returned to base without incident, the ministry further stated.

The British jets were backed up by a Voyager refuelling tanker.

The Islamic State group - alternatively referred to as Daesh - imposed extremist governance over parts of Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.

"This strike shows our UK leadership, and commitment to work closely with allied nations, to eliminate any re-emergence of IS and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the area," Britain's Defence Chief the minister said.

RAF aircraft have performed surveillance missions over Syria to "forestall any attempted resurgence" of the group after its defeat at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.

"I extend gratitude to the personnel of our armed forces involved in this operation for their expertise and their courage," the Defence Secretary said. "They were part of thousands of UK service members on duty over the holidays. This action, to take out terrorist threats who threaten our way of life, demonstrates how British military are ready to step up, continuously, protecting the UK within its borders and influential overseas."

During December, the US military carried out what it termed a "massive strike" on Islamic State objectives in Syria, subsequent to an assault resulted in the deaths of two US servicemembers and a civilian interpreter in the Palmyra area.

The U.N. says IS still boasts roughly 5-7 thousand fighters in Syria and Iraq.