Joint UK-French Air Strike Strikes Daesh Munitions Store in the Syrian region

RAF Typhoon fighter aircraft have conducted a mission with French warplanes in a coordinated attack on an underground arms cache in Syria used by the IS group, according to the UK Ministry of Defence.

The facility, located using surveillance, was thought to be storing arms and explosives, the statement said, and was located in hills just to the north of the historic site of Palmyra in Syria's central region.

"Our fighter planes used laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to hit a series of entry passages providing entry to the facility... initial indications are that the strike was effective," officials stated.

There was no indication of any civilian casualties in the operation late on Saturday and every plane involved returned to base without incident, the MoD added.

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

The Islamic State group - alternatively referred to as Daesh - enforced jihadist rule over parts of Iraq and Syria prior to its 2019 collapse.

"This operation underscores the UK's leading role, and commitment to work closely with allied nations, to eradicate any re-emergence of the terrorist group and their violent and radical beliefs in the region," Britain's Defence Chief the Defence Secretary stated.

RAF aircraft have carried out surveillance missions over Syria to "prevent any attempted comeback" of IS after its routing at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.

"I extend gratitude to all the members of the UK armed forces participating in this operation for their professionalism and their valour," he commented. "They were among thousands of British troops on duty over the holidays. This mission, to remove militants who endanger our security, shows how UK forces are prepared to act, continuously, protecting the UK at home and powerful internationally."

In December, the United States armed forces conducted what it termed a "large-scale strike" on Daesh sites in the country, following an attack resulted in the deaths of two US troops and a civilian interpreter in the Palmyra area.

The U.N. says IS still has between 5,000 and 7,000 combatants in both countries.