Joint Anglo-French Airstrike Hits Daesh Weapons Depot in Syria

British Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have conducted a mission with French aircraft in a joint strike on an underground arms cache in Syrian territory operated by the Daesh militant organization, per a report from the UK Ministry of Defence.

The location, pinpointed through reconnaissance, was believed to be storing arms and explosives, the statement said, and was positioned in hills just above the historic site of Palmyra in central Syria.

"The RAF jets utilized Paveway IV guided bombs to hit a series of approach shafts leading to the facility... preliminary assessments are that the strike was effective," the MoD said.

There was no sign of any civilian casualties in the attack late on Saturday and each participating jet made a safe return, the defence officials confirmed.

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

IS - alternatively referred to as Daesh - enforced extremist governance over significant areas in Iraq and Syria before its territorial defeat in 2019.

"This operation shows the UK's leading role, and commitment to stand shoulder to shoulder with our partners, to eliminate any re-emergence of the terrorist group and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the Middle East," UK Defence Secretary John Healey said.

RAF aircraft have carried out overwatch operations over Syria to "deter any attempted resurgence" of IS after its defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in the year 2019, the authorities noted.

"I want to thank all the members of British forces participating in this strike for their expertise and their courage," Healey added. "Including them were thousands of British troops stationed over the festive period. This action, to remove dangerous terrorists who endanger our security, demonstrates how British military are always on standby, all year round, protecting the UK within its borders and powerful internationally."

During December, the United States armed forces conducted what it termed a "major assault" targeting Daesh sites in the country, following an assault resulted in the deaths of two American soldiers and a civilian interpreter in the Palmyra area.

The U.N. says Daesh still maintains between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters in both countries.