Coordinated UK-French Aerial Assault Strikes IS Munitions Store in the Syrian region

Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have conducted a mission with France's air force in a joint strike targeting an hidden munitions depot in Syrian territory used by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the UK's MoD.

The site, located using reconnaissance, was thought to be containing munitions and bombs, the statement said, and was situated in mountains just above Palmyra in central Syria.

"Our fighter planes used laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to target a several approach shafts leading to the depot... initial indications indicate the objective was successfully hit," the MoD said.

There was no evidence of any harm to civilians in the operation conducted Saturday night and every plane involved returned to base without incident, the defence officials confirmed.

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

The Islamic State group - referred to as the so-called Islamic State - established jihadist rule over significant areas in Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.

"This action shows the UK's leading role, and determination to work closely with our allies, to stamp out any resurgence of the terrorist group and their violent and radical beliefs in the area," the British Defence Secretary John Healey remarked.

UK warplanes have performed surveillance missions over Syria to "prevent any attempted comeback" of IS subsequent to its routing at the Baghuz confrontation in the year 2019, the authorities noted.

"I must thank every member of our armed forces participating in this mission for their expertise and their bravery," Healey added. "Including them were numerous UK service members stationed over Christmas and New Year. This operation, to remove terrorist threats who pose a risk to our way of life, demonstrates how UK forces are always on standby, throughout the year, keeping Britain secure at home and powerful internationally."

During December, the US military carried out what it called a "large-scale strike" on Islamic State objectives in the country, after an assault killed two US troops and a civilian linguist in the Palmyra area.

The UN says Islamic State still has an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 combatants in Syria and Iraq.