Coordinated Anglo-French Aerial Assault Strikes Daesh Arms Cache in Syria

RAF Typhoon jets have conducted a mission with France's air force in a joint strike against an hidden munitions depot in Syrian territory employed by the Islamic State group (IS), according to the British defence ministry.

The location, located using reconnaissance, was assessed as containing munitions and bombs, the announcement noted, and was situated in mountainous terrain just to the north of the historic site of Palmyra in central Syria.

"Our fighter planes employed precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to strike a series of approach shafts down to the site... preliminary assessments suggest the target was engaged successfully," the ministry announced.

There was no indication of any harm to civilians in the operation late on Saturday and every plane involved made a safe return, the defence officials confirmed.

The Typhoon fighters were assisted by a Voyager tanker plane.

Daesh - also known as ISIS - established extremist governance over large swathes of Iraq and Syria until 2019.

"This operation shows British leadership, and determination to stand shoulder to shoulder with our partners, to stamp out any re-emergence of IS and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the area," Britain's Defence Chief the Defence Secretary stated.

UK warplanes have performed overwatch operations over Syria to "deter any efforts to regroup" of IS after its routing at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the ministry said.

"I must thank the personnel of our armed forces participating in this mission for their professionalism and their bravery," Healey added. "They were part of numerous British troops deployed over Christmas and New Year. This operation, to remove dangerous terrorists who endanger our safety, shows how British military are ready to step up, throughout the year, keeping Britain secure within its borders and strong abroad."

Last December, the US military executed what it called a "major assault" on Islamic State objectives in the country, subsequent to an ambush claimed the lives of two US servicemembers and a civilian linguist in the Palmyra area.

The UN says Islamic State still boasts roughly 5-7 thousand fighters in Iraq and Syria.