Joint Anglo-French Aerial Assault Hits IS Munitions Store in Syria

RAF Typhoon FGR4s have operated alongside French aircraft in a coordinated attack on an underground arms cache in Syria operated by the Daesh militant organization, according to the British defence ministry.

The site, located using surveillance, was thought to be containing munitions and bombs, the statement said, and was located in mountainous terrain just to the north of the historic site of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.

"The RAF jets utilized laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to hit a number of entry passages leading to the depot... early reports indicate the objective was successfully hit," the MoD said.

There was no evidence of any civilian impact in the attack on Saturday evening and each participating jet returned to base without incident, the ministry further stated.

The Typhoon FGR4s were assisted by a Voyager tanker plane.

The Islamic State group - also known as Daesh - enforced militant control over parts of Iraq and Syria before its territorial defeat in 2019.

"This strike shows the UK's leading role, and determination to work closely with our allies, to eradicate any revival of IS and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the Middle East," the British Defence Secretary John Healey said.

UK warplanes have performed patrols over Syrian airspace to "deter any attempted resurgence" of IS following its military defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.

"I must thank every member of our armed forces who took part in this strike for their expertise and their valour," the Defence Secretary commented. "They were among thousands of British personnel stationed over the festive period. This mission, to take out terrorist threats who threaten our way of life, demonstrates how our armed forces are always on standby, throughout the year, keeping Britain secure domestically and powerful internationally."

During December, the US military carried out what it called a "massive strike" targeting Islamic State objectives in the country, subsequent to an attack killed two US servicemembers and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.

The U.N. reports Daesh still boasts roughly 5-7 thousand combatants in Syria and Iraq.