Joint Anglo-French Aerial Assault Hits Daesh Arms Cache in the Syrian region

British Air Force Typhoon jets have joined forces with France's air force in a joint strike on an subterranean weapons facility in Syrian territory employed by the Islamic State group (IS), as stated by the UK's MoD.

The location, located using intelligence, was thought to be containing munitions and bombs, the statement said, and was located in hills just north of Palmyra in central Syria.

"Our aircraft used laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to hit a number of approach shafts providing entry to the facility... initial indications are that the strike was effective," the ministry announced.

There was no sign of any civilian impact in the attack on Saturday evening and all the aircraft returned to base without incident, the ministry further stated.

The Typhoon fighters were assisted by a Voyager refuelling tanker.

Daesh - alternatively referred to as the so-called Islamic State - enforced militant control over large swathes of both Syria and Iraq until 2019.

"This operation shows our UK leadership, and determination to stand shoulder to shoulder with allied nations, to stamp out any revival of the terrorist group and their violent and radical beliefs in the area," UK Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary stated.

RAF aircraft have carried out patrols over Syrian airspace to "forestall any attempted resurgence" of the group subsequent to its routing at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the authorities noted.

"I want to thank every member of our armed forces involved in this strike for their expertise and their bravery," the Defence Secretary commented. "Including them were numerous UK service members on duty over Christmas and New Year. This operation, to remove terrorist threats who endanger our security, shows how our armed forces are prepared to act, all year round, keeping Britain secure within its borders and strong abroad."

During December, the US military carried out what it described as a "large-scale strike" targeting Daesh sites in Syria, after an attack claimed the lives of two American soldiers and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.

The United Nations estimates Islamic State still maintains between 5,000 and 7,000 militants in Iraq and Syria.