Coordinated Anglo-French Air Strike Targets Islamic State Arms Cache in the Syrian region

RAF Typhoon fighter aircraft have operated alongside French warplanes in a coordinated attack against an subterranean weapons facility in Syria used by the IS group, per a report from the UK Ministry of Defence.

The location, pinpointed through reconnaissance, was assessed as storing arms and explosives, the announcement noted, and was situated in mountains just to the north of the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria's central region.

"Our aircraft used Paveway IV guided bombs to hit a number of approach shafts leading to the site... preliminary assessments indicate the objective was successfully hit," the MoD said.

There was no evidence of any harm to civilians in the operation late on Saturday and each participating jet returned to base without incident, the MoD added.

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

The Islamic State group - alternatively referred to as the so-called Islamic State - enforced jihadist rule over large swathes of Syria and Iraq until 2019.

"This strike underscores British leadership, and resolve to stand shoulder to shoulder with our allies, to eradicate any re-emergence of the terrorist group and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the Middle East," Britain's Defence Chief the Defence Secretary remarked.

RAF aircraft have performed overwatch operations over Syria to "prevent any attempted comeback" of IS after its defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in the year 2019, the ministry said.

"I extend gratitude to every member of the UK armed forces participating in this operation for their professionalism and their courage," the Defence Secretary said. "They were among a great many British personnel stationed over Christmas and New Year. This mission, to remove dangerous terrorists who threaten our safety, shows how UK forces are ready to step up, continuously, protecting the UK domestically and strong abroad."

Last December, the US military executed what it called a "massive strike" targeting Islamic State objectives in Syria, following an ambush killed two US troops and a civilian linguist in Palmyra.

The United Nations reports IS still maintains roughly 5-7 thousand combatants in Syria and Iraq.