Combined UK-French Airstrike Strikes IS Arms Cache in the Syrian region

British Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have conducted a mission with French aircraft in a joint strike on an subterranean weapons facility in Syria used by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the UK's MoD.

The location, identified by surveillance, was assessed as storing arms and explosives, the release indicated, and was located in mountains just to the north of the historic site of Palmyra in Syria's central region.

"The RAF jets used precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to hit a several approach shafts leading to the facility... initial indications are that the target was engaged successfully," officials stated.

There was no indication of any harm to civilians in the operation conducted Saturday night and all the aircraft returned to base without incident, the MoD added.

The Typhoon fighters were assisted by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.

The Islamic State group - referred to as ISIS - established militant control over large swathes of Syria and Iraq until 2019.

"This strike underscores our UK leadership, and resolve to stand shoulder to shoulder with allied nations, to stamp out any resurgence of Daesh and their violent and radical beliefs in the region," the British Defence Secretary John Healey remarked.

British military aircraft have performed overwatch operations over Syria to "forestall any attempted resurgence" of IS following its routing at the climactic battle in Baghuz in the year 2019, the authorities noted.

"I extend gratitude to all the members of British forces participating in this strike for their expertise and their courage," Healey said. "They were among numerous British personnel deployed over Christmas and New Year. This operation, to take out terrorist threats who pose a risk to our security, shows how our armed forces are ready to step up, all year round, keeping Britain secure at home and powerful internationally."

Last December, the United States armed forces executed what it described as a "major assault" targeting Islamic State objectives in the country, after an assault resulted in the deaths of two US troops and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.

The U.N. says Daesh still boasts an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 militants in Iraq and Syria.