Joint British-French Air Strike Hits IS Munitions Store in the Syrian region

RAF Typhoon jets have operated alongside French warplanes in a joint strike against an hidden munitions depot in Syrian territory employed by the IS group, per a report from the British defence ministry.

The facility, pinpointed through intelligence, was believed to be containing munitions and bombs, the statement said, and was positioned in mountains just to the north of Palmyra in Syria's central region.

"Our aircraft employed laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to hit a number of access tunnels leading to the facility... initial indications are that the objective was successfully hit," the MoD said.

There was no indication of any civilian casualties in the strike late on Saturday and all the aircraft returned to base without incident, the defence officials confirmed.

The Typhoon FGR4s were supported by a Voyager refuelling tanker.

Daesh - alternatively referred to as the so-called Islamic State - established jihadist rule over large swathes of Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.

"This operation demonstrates British leadership, and commitment to work closely with allied nations, to eliminate any resurgence of IS and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the Middle East," Britain's Defence Chief John Healey remarked.

British military aircraft have conducted patrols over Syria to "forestall any attempted comeback" of Islamic State following its military defeat at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the ministry said.

"I extend gratitude to the personnel of British forces participating in this mission for their professionalism and their valour," he added. "They were among numerous UK service members deployed over the festive period. This action, to take out militants who endanger our safety, highlights how our armed forces are ready to step up, all year round, ensuring Britain's security within its borders and influential overseas."

In December, the US military conducted what it called a "large-scale strike" against Islamic State objectives in the country, following an attack resulted in the deaths of two US troops and a civilian linguist in Palmyra.

The U.N. says IS still maintains an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 militants in both countries.