Joint British-French Air Strike Targets IS Arms Cache in Syria

RAF Typhoon fighter aircraft have conducted a mission with France's air force in a coordinated attack targeting an subterranean weapons facility in Syrian territory operated by the Daesh militant organization, as stated by the UK Ministry of Defence.

The facility, identified by reconnaissance, was assessed as housing weapons and explosive materials, the announcement noted, and was located in hills just north of the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria.

"Our aircraft employed laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to strike a several access tunnels providing entry to the depot... initial indications are that the objective was successfully hit," officials stated.

There was no sign of any civilian casualties in the attack late on Saturday and every plane involved returned to base without incident, the ministry further stated.

The Typhoon FGR4s were backed up by a Voyager tanker plane.

Daesh - alternatively referred to as the so-called Islamic State - imposed extremist governance over parts of Iraq and Syria prior to its 2019 collapse.

"This operation underscores our UK leadership, and resolve to operate in unison with our allies, to eradicate any re-emergence of the terrorist group and their violent and radical beliefs in the Middle East," the British Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary remarked.

UK warplanes have performed overwatch operations over Syrian airspace to "prevent any efforts to regroup" of IS subsequent to its routing at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the ministry said.

"I must thank the personnel of British forces participating in this strike for their professionalism and their bravery," the Defence Secretary said. "Including them were thousands of British troops on duty over the festive period. This operation, to take out terrorist threats who endanger our safety, demonstrates how our armed forces are always on standby, continuously, protecting the UK within its borders and powerful internationally."

Last December, the US military carried out what it described as a "massive strike" targeting IS targets in Syria, subsequent to an attack claimed the lives of two US servicemembers and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.

The United Nations says Daesh still boasts roughly 5-7 thousand militants in Iraq and Syria.