Combined UK-French Air Strike Strikes IS Weapons Depot in the Syrian region

British Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have joined forces with France's air force in a coordinated attack targeting an hidden munitions depot in Syria operated by the IS group, according to the UK's MoD.

The site, pinpointed through reconnaissance, was assessed as housing weapons and explosive materials, the statement said, and was located in hills just above Palmyra in Syria's central region.

"Our aircraft used Paveway IV guided bombs to target a series of access tunnels down to the depot... early reports are that the objective was successfully hit," the MoD said.

There was no evidence of any civilian impact in the strike on Saturday evening and all the aircraft made a safe return, the defence officials confirmed.

The Typhoon FGR4s were backed up by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.

The Islamic State group - also known as the so-called Islamic State - enforced militant control over significant areas in both Syria and Iraq until 2019.

"This operation shows the UK's leading role, and determination to work closely with our allies, to eradicate any resurgence of the terrorist group and their violent and radical beliefs in the Middle East," the British Defence Secretary the minister stated.

British military aircraft have performed patrols over Syrian airspace to "prevent any attempted resurgence" of Islamic State after its routing at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the MoD reported.

"I must thank all the members of our armed forces participating in this operation for their skill and their courage," the Defence Secretary commented. "They were part of a great many UK service members deployed over Christmas and New Year. This action, to take out terrorist threats who threaten our way of life, demonstrates how our armed forces are ready to step up, throughout the year, ensuring Britain's security at home and powerful internationally."

During December, the United States armed forces executed what it described as a "major assault" targeting Islamic State objectives in the country, subsequent to an attack claimed the lives of two US servicemembers and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.

The United Nations says Daesh still has roughly 5-7 thousand militants in Syria and Iraq.