Coordinated UK-French Aerial Assault Hits Islamic State Munitions Store 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 Daesh militant organization, per a report from the British defence ministry.

The location, located using reconnaissance, was believed to be containing munitions and bombs, the statement said, and was positioned in mountains just north of the historic site of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.

"The RAF jets employed precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to strike a several approach shafts down to the facility... initial indications suggest the strike was effective," the ministry announced.

There was no sign of any civilian impact in the attack on Saturday evening and each participating jet returned safely, the ministry further stated.

The British jets were supported by a Voyager tanker plane.

The Islamic State group - referred to as ISIS - enforced militant control over large swathes of Iraq and Syria before its territorial defeat in 2019.

"This action underscores the UK's leading role, and resolve to operate in unison with our allies, to eliminate any resurgence of IS and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the region," the British Defence Secretary John Healey stated.

UK warplanes have carried out patrols over Syrian airspace to "deter any efforts to regroup" of the group subsequent to its routing at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.

"I want to thank all the members of the UK armed forces involved in this operation for their professionalism and their bravery," he added. "They were among a great many UK service members stationed over Christmas and New Year. This operation, to eliminate militants who pose a risk to our way of life, highlights how British military are always on standby, all year round, keeping Britain secure domestically and influential overseas."

Last December, the American forces conducted what it termed a "major assault" against IS targets in Syria, subsequent to an assault killed two US troops and a civilian linguist in the Palmyra area.

The U.N. estimates IS still boasts roughly 5-7 thousand militants in Iraq and Syria.