Coordinated UK-French Airstrike Strikes Daesh Arms Cache in the Syrian region

RAF Typhoon fighter aircraft have operated alongside French warplanes in a combined operation targeting an underground arms cache in Syria used by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the UK's MoD.

The site, identified by surveillance, was assessed as storing arms and explosives, the release indicated, and was positioned in mountains just to the north of the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria.

"The RAF jets used laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to hit a number of access tunnels leading to the depot... early reports indicate the strike was effective," officials stated.

There was no sign of any harm to civilians in the operation on Saturday evening and every plane involved made a safe return, the defence officials confirmed.

The Typhoon fighters were supported by a Voyager tanker plane.

The Islamic State group - also known as Daesh - imposed extremist governance over large swathes of Iraq and Syria prior to its 2019 collapse.

"This strike shows British leadership, and resolve to operate in unison with allied nations, to eliminate any revival of the terrorist group and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the area," Britain's Defence Chief John Healey remarked.

British military aircraft have conducted overwatch operations over Syrian airspace to "deter any attempted resurgence" of the group subsequent to its military defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the authorities noted.

"I must thank every member of the UK armed forces involved in this strike for their expertise and their courage," the Defence Secretary added. "They were among numerous British personnel stationed over Christmas and New Year. This action, to eliminate terrorist threats who threaten our way of life, shows how our armed forces are ready to step up, continuously, protecting the UK domestically and influential overseas."

During December, the American forces conducted what it termed a "major assault" targeting Daesh sites in the country, subsequent to an ambush resulted in the deaths of two American soldiers and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.

The UN estimates Islamic State still maintains between 5,000 and 7,000 militants in both countries.