Combined UK-French Airstrike Strikes Daesh Arms Cache in Syria

RAF Typhoon fighter aircraft have joined forces with French warplanes in a combined operation on an underground arms cache in Syria employed by the Daesh militant organization, per a report from the UK's MoD.

The location, located using reconnaissance, was believed to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the announcement noted, and was positioned in hills just to the north of the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria's central region.

"The RAF jets used precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to target a number of approach shafts providing entry to the depot... preliminary assessments indicate the strike was effective," the ministry announced.

There was no evidence of any civilian casualties in the operation conducted Saturday night and all the aircraft returned safely, the ministry further stated.

The Typhoon FGR4s were backed up by a Voyager refuelling tanker.

IS - referred to as the so-called Islamic State - established militant control over significant areas in both Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.

"This operation shows our UK leadership, and resolve to stand shoulder to shoulder with our partners, to eradicate any revival of IS and their violent and radical beliefs in the region," the British Defence Secretary John Healey said.

UK warplanes have performed patrols over Syrian airspace to "forestall any efforts to regroup" of the group after its defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the authorities noted.

"I must thank all the members of the UK armed forces participating in this mission for their expertise and their bravery," the Defence Secretary commented. "They were part of numerous UK service members deployed over the holidays. This action, to eliminate militants who pose a risk to our safety, highlights how British military are prepared to act, continuously, ensuring Britain's security within its borders and influential overseas."

During December, the United States armed forces conducted what it described as a "major assault" on Daesh sites in Syria, subsequent to an attack killed two American soldiers and a local interpreter in Palmyra.

The U.N. reports IS still has roughly 5-7 thousand fighters in Iraq and Syria.