Joint Anglo-French Airstrike Hits Daesh Munitions Store in Syria

RAF Typhoon jets have conducted a mission with France's air force in a joint strike on an subterranean weapons facility in Syrian territory employed by the Daesh militant organization, according to the UK's MoD.

The facility, pinpointed through surveillance, was thought to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the announcement noted, and was situated in mountains just north of the historic site of Palmyra in Syria's central region.

"The RAF jets utilized Paveway IV guided bombs to hit a number of access tunnels down to the facility... initial indications are that the objective was successfully hit," officials stated.

There was no evidence of any civilian impact in the attack on Saturday evening and each participating jet made a safe return, the ministry further stated.

The Typhoon FGR4s were assisted by a Voyager tanker plane.

Daesh - referred to as the so-called Islamic State - established extremist governance over significant areas in Iraq and Syria before its territorial defeat in 2019.

"This operation underscores our UK leadership, and determination to work closely with our allies, to eliminate any revival of the terrorist group and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the region," Britain's Defence Chief John Healey remarked.

British military aircraft have conducted surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "forestall any attempted comeback" of the group following its military defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the MoD reported.

"I must thank every member of British forces who took part in this operation for their expertise and their courage," Healey said. "They were among thousands of British troops on duty over the holidays. This operation, to eliminate militants who endanger our way of life, highlights how our armed forces are ready to step up, all year round, protecting the UK within its borders and influential overseas."

In December, the US military conducted what it described as a "large-scale strike" targeting Islamic State objectives in the country, following an attack resulted in the deaths of two American soldiers and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.

The United Nations estimates IS still has an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 combatants in Iraq and Syria.