Joint UK-French Aerial Assault Hits Islamic State Arms Cache in the Syrian region

RAF Typhoon FGR4s have conducted a mission with French aircraft in a joint strike against an underground arms cache in Syria employed by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the UK's MoD.

The site, pinpointed through intelligence, was assessed as containing munitions and bombs, the statement said, and was situated in hills just north of the historic site of Palmyra in Syria's central region.

"Our fighter planes employed Paveway IV guided bombs to target a series of entry passages down to the site... preliminary assessments are that the target was engaged successfully," the MoD said.

There was no indication of any harm to civilians in the operation conducted Saturday night and every plane involved returned safely, the ministry further stated.

The Typhoon FGR4s were supported by a Voyager refuelling tanker.

Daesh - also known as Daesh - imposed militant control over significant areas in Iraq and Syria until 2019.

"This operation demonstrates the UK's leading role, and commitment to stand shoulder to shoulder with allied nations, to eradicate any resurgence of the terrorist group and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the region," Britain's Defence Chief the minister remarked.

RAF aircraft have conducted surveillance missions over Syria to "forestall any attempted comeback" of Islamic State subsequent to its routing at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the MoD reported.

"I want to thank the personnel of the UK armed forces who took part in this mission for their expertise and their bravery," he said. "They were part of a great many British personnel on duty over the holidays. This operation, to remove terrorist threats who threaten our safety, demonstrates how our armed forces are ready to step up, all year round, keeping Britain secure at home and influential overseas."

In December, the United States armed forces executed what it described as a "large-scale strike" on Daesh sites in the country, following an attack claimed the lives of two US troops and a local interpreter in Palmyra.

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