Coordinated British-French Airstrike Strikes Islamic State Arms Cache in Syria

Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have joined forces with French warplanes in a joint strike on an subterranean weapons facility in Syria employed by the Islamic State group (IS), as stated by the British defence ministry.

The location, identified by reconnaissance, was thought to be containing munitions and bombs, the release indicated, and was positioned in mountainous terrain just above Palmyra in central Syria.

"Our fighter planes used laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to target a series of approach shafts down to the facility... preliminary assessments indicate the strike was effective," officials stated.

There was no sign of any civilian impact in the attack late on Saturday and all the aircraft made a safe return, the ministry further stated.

The Typhoon fighters were supported by a Voyager refuelling tanker.

IS - also known as the so-called Islamic State - imposed jihadist rule over large swathes of Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.

"This strike demonstrates our UK leadership, and determination to stand shoulder to shoulder with allied nations, to eliminate any re-emergence of the terrorist group and their violent and radical beliefs in the area," UK Defence Secretary John Healey stated.

RAF aircraft have carried out patrols over Syrian airspace to "forestall any efforts to regroup" of IS after its routing at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the ministry said.

"I want to thank the personnel of our armed forces participating in this operation for their professionalism and their courage," the Defence Secretary added. "They were part of a great many UK service members on duty over Christmas and New Year. This operation, to take out dangerous terrorists who threaten our way of life, demonstrates how British military are always on standby, throughout the year, protecting the UK within its borders and influential overseas."

In December, the American forces carried out what it termed a "massive strike" on IS targets in Syria, subsequent to an attack killed two US troops and a local interpreter in Palmyra.

The UN reports IS still boasts an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 militants in Iraq and Syria.