Combined Anglo-French Air Strike Strikes Daesh Weapons Depot in Syria

Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have operated alongside France's air force in a joint strike targeting an hidden munitions depot in Syria used by the Daesh militant organization, according to the UK Ministry of Defence.

The location, located using surveillance, was assessed as storing arms and explosives, the statement said, and was located in mountains just above the historic site of Palmyra in Syria's central region.

"Our aircraft employed precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to strike a several access tunnels down to the facility... preliminary assessments suggest the objective was successfully hit," the ministry announced.

There was no indication of any civilian casualties in the strike on Saturday evening and all the aircraft returned to base without incident, the MoD added.

The Typhoon FGR4s were supported by a Voyager refuelling tanker.

Daesh - also known as ISIS - enforced extremist governance over parts of both Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.

"This operation demonstrates the UK's leading role, and determination to work closely with our partners, to eradicate any re-emergence of IS and their violent and radical beliefs in the Middle East," UK Defence Secretary the minister remarked.

RAF aircraft have performed patrols over Syria to "forestall any attempted resurgence" of the group after its defeat at the battle of Baghuz in the year 2019, the authorities noted.

"I want to thank the personnel of our armed forces who took part in this operation for their skill and their valour," Healey commented. "They were part of thousands of British personnel stationed over the festive period. This action, to take out terrorist threats who endanger our security, shows how British military are prepared to act, continuously, keeping Britain secure at home and influential overseas."

In December, the US military carried out what it described as a "large-scale strike" targeting Daesh sites in the country, after an assault killed two US troops and a civilian linguist in Palmyra.

The U.N. reports Daesh still has an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 militants in both countries.