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

British Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have joined forces with French aircraft in a combined operation on an subterranean weapons facility in Syrian territory operated by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the UK's MoD.

The facility, identified by intelligence, was believed to be storing arms and explosives, the release indicated, and was positioned in mountains just north of the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria's central region.

"Our fighter planes employed Paveway IV guided bombs to hit a several entry passages down to the depot... initial indications indicate the strike was effective," the ministry announced.

There was no evidence of any harm to civilians in the strike on Saturday evening and each participating jet made a safe return, the MoD added.

The British jets were backed up by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.

Daesh - referred to as the so-called Islamic State - enforced jihadist rule over significant areas in both Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.

"This operation underscores our UK leadership, and resolve to stand shoulder to shoulder with our allies, to stamp out any resurgence of the terrorist group and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the Middle East," the British Defence Secretary the minister stated.

RAF aircraft have performed overwatch operations over Syria to "forestall any efforts to regroup" of IS after its routing at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the ministry said.

"I want to thank the personnel of British forces who took part in this mission for their expertise and their bravery," he said. "Including them were thousands of British troops on duty over Christmas and New Year. This operation, to take out terrorist threats who endanger our safety, shows how our armed forces are always on standby, all year round, protecting the UK at home and strong abroad."

In December, the American forces conducted what it called a "massive strike" against Islamic State objectives in the country, after an assault claimed the lives of two US servicemembers and a civilian linguist in Palmyra.

The U.N. estimates Daesh still has an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 fighters in Syria and Iraq.