Joint Anglo-French Aerial Assault Hits IS Munitions Store in Syria

British Air Force Typhoon jets have operated alongside France's air force in a coordinated attack against an hidden munitions depot in Syrian territory used by the Islamic State group (IS), according to the UK Ministry of Defence.

The facility, pinpointed through surveillance, was thought to be containing munitions and bombs, the announcement noted, and was positioned in hills just above Palmyra in central Syria.

"The RAF jets used Paveway IV guided bombs to hit a several access tunnels down to the facility... initial indications indicate the strike was effective," the MoD said.

There was no evidence of any civilian impact in the attack late on Saturday and all the aircraft returned to base without incident, the defence officials confirmed.

The Typhoon FGR4s were assisted by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.

IS - alternatively referred to as Daesh - established militant control over large swathes of both Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.

"This action shows British leadership, and resolve to operate in unison with our allies, to stamp out any revival of the terrorist group and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the area," Britain's Defence Chief the minister remarked.

UK warplanes have performed surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "forestall any attempted comeback" of Islamic State after its military defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the MoD reported.

"I want to thank all the members of our armed forces who took part in this operation for their expertise and their courage," the Defence Secretary said. "They were part of numerous British troops stationed over the holidays. This operation, to eliminate terrorist threats who threaten our security, shows how British military are always on standby, all year round, ensuring Britain's security within its borders and strong abroad."

During December, the United States armed forces executed what it termed a "large-scale strike" targeting Islamic State objectives in Syria, after an attack killed two American soldiers and a civilian linguist in Palmyra.

The UN reports Islamic State still maintains an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 combatants in Syria and Iraq.