Joint Anglo-French Air Strike Hits IS Arms Cache in the Syrian region

British Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have operated alongside France's air force in a combined operation targeting an hidden munitions depot in Syria used by the Daesh militant organization, per a report from the British defence ministry.

The location, pinpointed through surveillance, was assessed as containing munitions and bombs, the release indicated, and was located in mountains just to the north of the historic site of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.

"The RAF jets utilized laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to hit a several entry passages leading to the depot... preliminary assessments suggest the strike was effective," the ministry announced.

There was no sign of any civilian casualties in the operation conducted Saturday night and all the aircraft made a safe return, the defence officials confirmed.

The British jets were assisted by a Voyager refuelling tanker.

The Islamic State group - also known as ISIS - enforced extremist governance over significant areas in Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.

"This operation demonstrates the UK's leading role, and determination to operate in unison with our allies, to eliminate any revival of Daesh and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the Middle East," the British Defence Secretary John Healey remarked.

UK warplanes have conducted patrols over Syrian airspace to "deter any efforts to regroup" of Islamic State subsequent to its defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the ministry said.

"I want to thank every member of British forces participating in this operation for their expertise and their bravery," Healey commented. "They were among a great many British troops stationed over the holidays. This operation, to remove dangerous terrorists who pose a risk to our way of life, demonstrates how our armed forces are ready to step up, throughout the year, keeping Britain secure within its borders and influential overseas."

During December, the United States armed forces conducted what it termed a "major assault" against Daesh sites in the country, subsequent to an ambush resulted in the deaths of two US servicemembers and a local interpreter in Palmyra.

The U.N. reports IS still maintains roughly 5-7 thousand fighters in Iraq and Syria.