Coordinated UK-French Aerial Assault Strikes IS Arms Cache in Syria

British Air Force Typhoon jets have conducted a mission with France's air force in a combined operation on an subterranean weapons facility in Syria operated by the Islamic State group (IS), according to the British defence ministry.

The location, located using reconnaissance, was assessed as storing arms and explosives, the announcement noted, and was positioned in hills just to the north of the historic site of Palmyra in Syria's central region.

"Our aircraft employed precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to strike a series of approach shafts leading to the site... preliminary assessments suggest the objective was successfully hit," the MoD said.

There was no indication of any harm to civilians in the operation conducted Saturday night and each participating jet returned safely, the defence officials confirmed.

The Typhoon fighters were assisted by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.

The Islamic State group - alternatively referred to as the so-called Islamic State - enforced militant control over parts of Iraq and Syria prior to its 2019 collapse.

"This operation shows the UK's leading role, and resolve to operate in unison with our partners, to eradicate any resurgence of Daesh and their violent and radical beliefs in the Middle East," the British Defence Secretary the minister said.

British military aircraft have carried out surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "deter any attempted comeback" of Islamic State subsequent to its defeat at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.

"I extend gratitude to the personnel of our armed forces involved in this operation for their expertise and their bravery," he added. "Including them were thousands of UK service members on duty over the holidays. This operation, to remove dangerous terrorists who threaten our way of life, shows how British military are ready to step up, all year round, keeping Britain secure within its borders and powerful internationally."

Last December, the American forces carried out what it described as a "massive strike" against Daesh sites in the country, after an attack killed two US troops and a civilian linguist in the Palmyra area.

The U.N. estimates IS still boasts between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters in both countries.