Coordinated UK-French Air Strike Hits IS Weapons Depot in Syria

RAF Typhoon jets have conducted a mission with France's air force in a coordinated attack on an underground arms cache in Syria operated by the Islamic State group (IS), according to the UK's MoD.

The site, identified by surveillance, was thought to be containing munitions and bombs, the statement said, and was positioned in hills just north of the ancient city of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.

"Our aircraft utilized Paveway IV guided bombs to target a several approach shafts providing entry to the depot... preliminary assessments indicate the objective was successfully hit," officials stated.

There was no evidence of any civilian casualties in the strike late on Saturday and each participating jet made a safe return, the defence officials confirmed.

The Typhoon fighters were assisted by a Voyager tanker plane.

IS - alternatively referred to as the so-called Islamic State - enforced militant control over parts of Iraq and Syria before its territorial defeat in 2019.

"This strike demonstrates our UK leadership, and resolve to work closely with allied nations, to eradicate any resurgence of Daesh and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the area," UK Defence Secretary the minister stated.

UK warplanes have conducted patrols over Syria to "deter any attempted resurgence" of the group subsequent to its defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the MoD reported.

"I extend gratitude to every member of British forces involved in this strike for their expertise and their courage," the Defence Secretary added. "They were among numerous British personnel deployed over Christmas and New Year. This operation, to eliminate dangerous terrorists who endanger our security, demonstrates how UK forces are ready to step up, continuously, ensuring Britain's security at home and strong abroad."

Last December, the US military executed what it termed a "large-scale strike" against IS targets in Syria, subsequent to an assault resulted in the deaths of two US servicemembers and a local interpreter in Palmyra.

The UN reports Daesh still has between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters in Syria and Iraq.