Joint British-French Air Strike Strikes Daesh Munitions Store in Syria

RAF Typhoon FGR4s have conducted a mission with French aircraft in a joint strike on an subterranean weapons facility in Syrian territory employed by the IS group, as stated by the UK Ministry of Defence.

The facility, identified by surveillance, was thought to be storing arms and explosives, the release indicated, and was positioned in mountains just above Palmyra in central Syria.

"Our aircraft utilized Paveway IV guided bombs to hit a series of entry passages providing entry to the site... initial indications suggest the objective was successfully hit," the ministry announced.

There was no sign of any civilian casualties in the strike late on Saturday and each participating jet returned to base without incident, the ministry further stated.

The Typhoon FGR4s were supported by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.

IS - alternatively referred to as Daesh - established militant control over significant areas in Iraq and Syria until 2019.

"This operation shows our UK leadership, and commitment to stand shoulder to shoulder with our partners, to eradicate any resurgence of Daesh and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the Middle East," UK Defence Secretary the minister said.

RAF aircraft have performed overwatch operations over Syria to "prevent any attempted comeback" of the group after its defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in the year 2019, the ministry said.

"I want to thank every member of the UK armed forces involved in this mission for their expertise and their valour," he said. "They were part of a great many British troops stationed over the festive period. This operation, to remove militants who pose a risk to our safety, demonstrates how UK forces are always on standby, throughout the year, ensuring Britain's security at home and influential overseas."

Last December, the United States armed forces conducted what it termed a "massive strike" on Daesh sites in the country, subsequent to an ambush resulted in the deaths of two American soldiers and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.

The United Nations reports Daesh still boasts roughly 5-7 thousand combatants in Iraq and Syria.