Joint Anglo-French Air Strike Strikes IS Weapons Depot in the Syrian region

Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have joined forces with French warplanes in a joint strike against an subterranean weapons facility in Syria used by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the UK's MoD.

The facility, pinpointed through intelligence, was thought to be containing munitions and bombs, the announcement noted, and was positioned in mountains just north of the historic site of Palmyra in central Syria.

"The RAF jets utilized laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to hit a number of approach shafts providing entry to the depot... preliminary assessments are that the target was engaged successfully," officials stated.

There was no evidence of any harm to civilians in the attack late on Saturday and each participating jet returned to base without incident, the MoD added.

The British jets were backed up by a Voyager refuelling tanker.

IS - also known as ISIS - established militant control over large swathes of both Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.

"This strike underscores our UK leadership, and resolve to operate in unison with our partners, to eliminate any re-emergence of the terrorist group and their violent and radical beliefs in the Middle East," Britain's Defence Chief John Healey said.

UK warplanes have carried out overwatch operations over Syria to "forestall any attempted resurgence" of the group following its military defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in the year 2019, the ministry said.

"I extend gratitude to all the members of the UK armed forces involved in this strike for their skill and their courage," the Defence Secretary said. "They were among a great many British troops on duty over Christmas and New Year. This operation, to eliminate militants who threaten our safety, shows how UK forces are prepared to act, all year round, protecting the UK at home and influential overseas."

Last December, the US military conducted what it called a "massive strike" targeting Islamic State objectives in Syria, subsequent to an attack resulted in the deaths of two US servicemembers and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.

The U.N. estimates Islamic State still maintains roughly 5-7 thousand combatants in Syria and Iraq.