Joint British-French Air Strike Hits Islamic State Munitions Store in Syria

RAF Typhoon jets have conducted a mission with French warplanes in a coordinated attack on an hidden munitions depot in Syrian territory used by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the UK Ministry of Defence.

The location, identified by intelligence, was believed to be containing munitions and bombs, the announcement noted, and was positioned in hills just above the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria.

"Our aircraft employed precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to hit a series of entry passages down to the facility... preliminary assessments are that the strike was effective," the ministry announced.

There was no evidence of any harm to civilians in the strike conducted Saturday night and every plane involved returned to base without incident, the ministry further stated.

The Typhoon FGR4s were assisted by a Voyager refuelling tanker.

The Islamic State group - also known as the so-called Islamic State - established extremist governance over large swathes of both Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.

"This strike demonstrates the UK's leading role, and determination to work closely with our partners, to eradicate any revival of the terrorist group and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the Middle East," the British Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary stated.

British military aircraft have carried out surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "forestall any attempted comeback" of the group following its military defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the ministry said.

"I extend gratitude to the personnel of the UK armed forces who took part in this mission for their expertise and their valour," he added. "Including them were thousands of British personnel on duty over Christmas and New Year. This operation, to remove terrorist threats who endanger our way of life, demonstrates how our armed forces are ready to step up, throughout the year, protecting the UK domestically and influential overseas."

During December, the US military carried out what it described as a "massive strike" on Islamic State objectives in the country, subsequent to an assault killed two US troops and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.

The UN estimates IS still has between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters in Iraq and Syria.