Coordinated British-French Aerial Assault Hits Islamic State Weapons Depot in the Syrian region

British Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have operated alongside France's air force in a joint strike targeting an subterranean weapons facility in Syria employed by the IS group, according to the UK's MoD.

The site, located using surveillance, was assessed as housing weapons and explosive materials, the announcement noted, and was located in mountainous terrain just north of the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria.

"Our aircraft employed precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to strike a number of entry passages down to the site... initial indications are that the objective was successfully hit," officials stated.

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

The British jets were backed up by a Voyager refuelling tanker.

The Islamic State group - referred to as Daesh - enforced militant control over large swathes of Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.

"This strike shows British leadership, and resolve to operate in unison with our partners, to eliminate any re-emergence of Daesh and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the Middle East," Britain's Defence Chief the Defence Secretary remarked.

UK warplanes have carried out patrols over Syrian airspace to "deter any attempted resurgence" of IS following its routing at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.

"I extend gratitude to the personnel of British forces who took part in this operation for their professionalism and their valour," he added. "They were among a great many UK service members deployed over the festive period. This mission, to take out dangerous terrorists who threaten our way of life, shows how our armed forces are ready to step up, continuously, ensuring Britain's security within its borders and strong abroad."

During December, the United States armed forces carried out what it termed a "major assault" on Daesh sites in Syria, after an ambush claimed the lives of two American soldiers and a civilian linguist in Palmyra.

The UN estimates Islamic State still maintains between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters in Syria and Iraq.