Joint Anglo-French Aerial Assault Targets Daesh Arms Cache in the Syrian region

Royal Air Force Typhoon jets have conducted a mission with French warplanes in a coordinated attack on an subterranean weapons facility in Syrian territory operated by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the British defence ministry.

The location, located using surveillance, was believed to be storing arms and explosives, the release indicated, and was positioned in hills just to the north of the historic site of Palmyra in Syria's central region.

"The RAF jets used laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to hit a number of approach shafts down to the facility... preliminary assessments suggest the target was engaged successfully," officials stated.

There was no evidence of any harm to civilians in the operation on Saturday evening and each participating jet returned safely, the MoD added.

The British jets were assisted by a Voyager refuelling tanker.

Daesh - referred to as ISIS - established militant control over large swathes of Iraq and Syria before its territorial defeat in 2019.

"This strike underscores the UK's leading role, and resolve to work closely with allied nations, to eliminate any resurgence of the terrorist group and their violent and radical beliefs in the Middle East," the British Defence Secretary John Healey stated.

RAF aircraft have performed overwatch operations over Syria to "forestall any efforts to regroup" of the group subsequent to its military defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in the year 2019, the MoD reported.

"I extend gratitude to the personnel of our armed forces involved in this operation for their skill and their valour," he added. "They were among numerous British personnel deployed over Christmas and New Year. This mission, to eliminate militants who endanger our way of life, highlights how British military are prepared to act, all year round, keeping Britain secure within its borders and strong abroad."

During December, the American forces carried out what it termed a "massive strike" on IS targets in the country, following an assault claimed the lives of two US troops and a civilian linguist in the Palmyra area.

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