Combined Anglo-French Air Strike Hits Islamic State Arms Cache in the Syrian region

RAF Typhoon jets have operated alongside French warplanes in a coordinated attack targeting an underground arms cache in Syria used by the Daesh militant organization, per a report from the British defence ministry.

The site, located using surveillance, was assessed as containing munitions and bombs, the announcement noted, and was situated in hills just to the north of Palmyra in central Syria.

"Our fighter planes employed laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to hit a number of access tunnels providing entry to the facility... preliminary assessments suggest the strike was effective," the MoD said.

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

The British jets were assisted by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.

Daesh - also known as ISIS - enforced extremist governance over significant areas in Iraq and Syria before its territorial defeat in 2019.

"This operation shows the UK's leading role, and resolve to work closely with our allies, to stamp out any re-emergence of Daesh and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the region," the British Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary said.

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

"I want to thank all the members of our armed forces involved in this strike for their expertise and their bravery," he commented. "They were among numerous UK service members stationed over the festive period. This action, to remove terrorist threats who threaten our safety, highlights how UK forces are always on standby, all year round, keeping Britain secure within its borders and strong abroad."

During December, the American forces executed what it termed a "massive strike" on Daesh sites in the country, subsequent to an ambush claimed the lives of two American soldiers and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.

The U.N. estimates Daesh still has an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 combatants in both countries.