Combined British-French Aerial Assault Targets Islamic State Weapons Depot in Syria

RAF Typhoon FGR4s have joined forces with French warplanes in a combined operation against an hidden munitions depot in Syria operated by the IS group, according to the UK Ministry of Defence.

The site, located using surveillance, was believed to be containing munitions and bombs, the release indicated, and was situated in mountainous terrain just above the ancient city of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.

"Our aircraft employed Paveway IV guided bombs to hit a series of approach shafts leading to the site... early reports are that the strike was effective," the MoD said.

There was no evidence of any civilian casualties in the strike late on Saturday and each participating jet returned safely, the defence officials confirmed.

The Typhoon FGR4s were supported by a Voyager tanker plane.

Daesh - also known as ISIS - established militant control over large swathes of Iraq and Syria until 2019.

"This operation underscores British leadership, and determination to stand shoulder to shoulder with our partners, to stamp out any re-emergence of IS and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the Middle East," the British Defence Secretary John Healey said.

British military aircraft have carried out patrols over Syria to "forestall any attempted comeback" of IS following its defeat at the battle of Baghuz in the year 2019, the MoD reported.

"I want to thank the personnel of our armed forces participating in this mission for their skill and their bravery," he commented. "Including them were thousands of British personnel deployed over the festive period. This action, to take out terrorist threats who endanger our security, demonstrates how our armed forces are prepared to act, continuously, ensuring Britain's security within its borders and powerful internationally."

In December, the United States armed forces executed what it described as a "large-scale strike" targeting Islamic State objectives in the country, following an assault resulted in the deaths of two US troops and a civilian linguist in Palmyra.

The United Nations says Islamic State still maintains between 5,000 and 7,000 combatants in both countries.