Combined Anglo-French Airstrike Targets Islamic State Arms Cache in Syria

Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have conducted a mission with French warplanes in a joint strike against an subterranean weapons facility in Syrian territory employed by the Daesh militant organization, according to the UK's MoD.

The site, located using reconnaissance, was thought to be storing arms and explosives, the release indicated, and was located in hills just above the historic site of Palmyra in Syria's central region.

"Our fighter planes used precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to strike a several access tunnels providing entry to the facility... preliminary assessments suggest the strike was effective," the MoD said.

There was no evidence of any harm to civilians in the operation on Saturday evening and each participating jet returned safely, the MoD added.

The Typhoon fighters were backed up by a Voyager refuelling tanker.

Daesh - also known as ISIS - imposed militant control over parts of Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.

"This operation demonstrates the UK's leading role, and resolve 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," UK Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary stated.

UK warplanes have carried out surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "deter any attempted resurgence" of IS following its routing at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the ministry said.

"I must thank the personnel of British forces participating in this operation for their skill and their valour," the Defence Secretary added. "Including them were a great many UK service members on duty over the holidays. This action, to remove militants who endanger our way of life, demonstrates how British military are prepared to act, continuously, protecting the UK within its borders and powerful internationally."

In December, the American forces executed what it termed a "massive strike" on Islamic State objectives in the country, subsequent to an assault claimed the lives of two American soldiers and a local interpreter in Palmyra.

The UN says Islamic State still has between 5,000 and 7,000 combatants in Syria and Iraq.