Coordinated UK-French Airstrike Targets Daesh Weapons Depot in Syria

RAF Typhoon fighter aircraft have joined forces with France's air force in a coordinated attack targeting an subterranean weapons facility in Syrian territory operated by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the UK's MoD.

The site, identified by surveillance, was assessed as containing munitions and bombs, the announcement noted, and was situated in mountainous terrain just to the north of the ancient city of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.

"Our aircraft employed precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to target a several access tunnels providing entry to the site... early reports suggest the strike was effective," officials stated.

There was no indication of any civilian impact in the strike late on Saturday and all the aircraft returned safely, the defence officials confirmed.

The Typhoon FGR4s were backed up by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.

The Islamic State group - also known as Daesh - established extremist governance over parts of Iraq and Syria until 2019.

"This strike shows the UK's leading role, and resolve to operate in unison with our allies, to eliminate any resurgence of the terrorist group and their violent and radical beliefs in the Middle East," UK Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary said.

RAF aircraft have carried out surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "prevent any efforts to regroup" of IS following its defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the MoD reported.

"I must thank every member of our armed forces involved in this mission for their skill and their courage," he commented. "Including them were thousands of British troops stationed over the festive period. This action, to remove militants who endanger our safety, shows how British military are ready to step up, continuously, ensuring Britain's security at home and powerful internationally."

In December, the United States armed forces conducted what it called a "massive strike" against Islamic State objectives in the country, following an assault resulted in the deaths of two US troops and a civilian linguist in Palmyra.

The UN says Islamic State still maintains roughly 5-7 thousand militants in Iraq and Syria.