Combined UK-French Airstrike Strikes Daesh Weapons Depot in Syria

Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have joined forces with French warplanes 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 surveillance, was believed to be storing arms and explosives, the announcement noted, and was located in mountains just to the north of the historic site of Palmyra in Syria's central region.

"Our fighter planes employed laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to strike a series of approach shafts providing entry to the depot... initial indications are that the strike was effective," the MoD said.

There was no indication of any harm to civilians in the strike conducted Saturday night and each participating jet made a safe return, the ministry further stated.

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

IS - alternatively referred to as ISIS - established jihadist rule over parts of Iraq and Syria prior to its 2019 collapse.

"This operation shows our UK leadership, and commitment to operate in unison with allied nations, to stamp out any resurgence of IS and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the area," Britain's Defence Chief John Healey stated.

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

"I want to thank all the members of the UK armed forces participating in this operation for their professionalism and their valour," he commented. "Including them were thousands of British personnel stationed over Christmas and New Year. This action, to take out dangerous terrorists who pose a risk to our way of life, shows how our armed forces are always on standby, throughout the year, keeping Britain secure domestically and influential overseas."

In December, the American forces executed what it called a "large-scale strike" against Daesh sites in the country, after an ambush claimed the lives of two US servicemembers and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.

The U.N. says IS still boasts an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 combatants in both countries.