Combined UK-French Airstrike Hits Islamic State Arms Cache in Syria

British Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have joined forces with French warplanes in a combined operation against an subterranean weapons facility in Syrian territory employed by the Islamic State group (IS), according to the UK Ministry of Defence.

The facility, located using surveillance, was assessed as storing arms and explosives, the statement said, and was located in mountainous terrain just to the north of Palmyra in Syria's central region.

"Our fighter planes employed Paveway IV guided bombs to target a number of entry passages leading to the facility... initial indications indicate the objective was successfully hit," the MoD said.

There was no sign of any civilian casualties in the attack late on Saturday and every plane involved returned to base without incident, the ministry further stated.

The British jets were assisted by a Voyager tanker plane.

IS - referred to as Daesh - imposed militant control over parts of Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.

"This action underscores British leadership, and determination to stand shoulder to shoulder with our partners, to eradicate any resurgence of the terrorist group and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the area," the British Defence Secretary the minister stated.

UK warplanes have performed patrols over Syrian airspace to "deter any attempted comeback" of Islamic State subsequent to its routing at the climactic battle in Baghuz in the year 2019, the ministry said.

"I want to thank the personnel of our armed forces involved in this operation for their expertise and their courage," Healey added. "They were part of a great many British personnel deployed over Christmas and New Year. This action, to take out dangerous terrorists who endanger our way of life, highlights how UK forces are ready to step up, continuously, protecting the UK at home and strong abroad."

Last December, the American forces conducted what it called a "large-scale strike" targeting IS targets in Syria, subsequent to an attack claimed the lives of two US troops and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.

The United Nations estimates Islamic State still has roughly 5-7 thousand militants in both countries.