Joint UK-French Aerial Assault Hits IS Munitions Store in the Syrian region

Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have joined forces with French warplanes in a joint strike against an subterranean weapons facility in Syrian territory employed by the IS group, according to the British defence ministry.

The facility, pinpointed through surveillance, was assessed as containing munitions and bombs, the release indicated, and was positioned in hills just to the north of the historic site of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.

"The RAF jets utilized Paveway IV guided bombs to strike a series of approach shafts providing entry to the depot... initial indications are that the strike was effective," officials stated.

There was no indication of any civilian casualties in the strike late on Saturday and all the aircraft made a safe return, the ministry further stated.

The Typhoon fighters were backed up by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.

The Islamic State group - referred to as Daesh - established extremist governance over significant areas in Syria and Iraq until 2019.

"This operation demonstrates the UK's leading role, and determination to operate in unison with our partners, to eliminate any re-emergence of Daesh and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the region," the British Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary remarked.

UK warplanes have carried out patrols over Syrian airspace to "forestall any efforts to regroup" of the group following its defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the authorities noted.

"I must thank the personnel of our armed forces participating in this operation for their expertise and their valour," Healey commented. "They were part of a great many UK service members deployed over the festive period. This operation, to eliminate dangerous terrorists who threaten our way of life, demonstrates how our armed forces are prepared to act, continuously, protecting the UK within its borders and powerful internationally."

In December, the American forces carried out what it described as a "large-scale strike" on Islamic State objectives in the country, following an ambush resulted in the deaths of two American soldiers and a local interpreter in Palmyra.

The United Nations says IS still boasts between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters in Iraq and Syria.