Coordinated UK-French Aerial Assault Targets Daesh Arms Cache in Syria

Royal Air Force Typhoon jets have joined forces with France's air force in a joint strike against an hidden munitions depot in Syrian territory employed by the IS group, per a report from the UK Ministry of Defence.

The facility, identified by reconnaissance, was assessed as storing arms and explosives, the announcement noted, and was situated in mountains just to the north of the historic site of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.

"Our fighter planes used laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to target a series of approach shafts down to the facility... initial indications are that the target was engaged successfully," officials stated.

There was no sign of any harm to civilians in the operation late on Saturday and all the aircraft returned to base without incident, the MoD added.

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

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

"This strike demonstrates our UK leadership, and determination to work closely with our partners, to eradicate any resurgence of IS and their violent and radical beliefs in the Middle East," Britain's Defence Chief John Healey said.

RAF aircraft have conducted overwatch operations over Syrian airspace to "forestall any attempted resurgence" of Islamic State subsequent to its defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the authorities noted.

"I must thank every member of our armed forces involved in this operation for their expertise and their bravery," the Defence Secretary commented. "They were among numerous British troops stationed over the festive period. This mission, to remove militants who pose a risk to our way of life, shows how UK forces are prepared to act, continuously, protecting the UK domestically and powerful internationally."

In December, the United States armed forces carried out what it called a "major assault" targeting Daesh sites in Syria, after an attack killed two American soldiers and a civilian linguist in the Palmyra area.

The U.N. says IS still maintains roughly 5-7 thousand combatants in Syria and Iraq.