Coordinated British-French Aerial Assault Targets IS Weapons Depot in Syria

British Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have operated alongside French aircraft in a coordinated attack against an underground arms cache in Syria operated by the Daesh militant organization, according to the British defence ministry.

The site, pinpointed through surveillance, was thought to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the announcement noted, and was situated in mountains just to the north of the historic site of Palmyra in central Syria.

"Our fighter planes utilized laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to hit a several approach shafts providing entry to the depot... preliminary assessments indicate the target was engaged successfully," the MoD said.

There was no sign of any harm to civilians in the operation late on Saturday and every plane involved returned safely, the ministry further stated.

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

Daesh - referred to as Daesh - enforced militant control over parts of both Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.

"This strike demonstrates the UK's leading role, and determination to stand shoulder to shoulder with our partners, to eradicate any resurgence of the terrorist group and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the region," the British Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary remarked.

UK warplanes have carried out surveillance missions over Syria to "prevent any efforts to regroup" of the group subsequent to its military defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.

"I must thank the personnel of the UK armed forces involved in this mission for their skill and their valour," he added. "They were among thousands of British troops on duty over the festive period. This action, to take out terrorist threats who pose a risk to our way of life, shows how UK forces are prepared to act, continuously, keeping Britain secure domestically and influential overseas."

In December, the United States armed forces carried out what it described as a "large-scale strike" targeting IS targets in Syria, following an assault killed two US servicemembers and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.

The United Nations reports Daesh still maintains an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 fighters in Iraq and Syria.