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

Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have conducted a mission with French aircraft in a combined operation against an underground arms cache in Syria employed by the IS group, according to the British defence ministry.

The location, identified by intelligence, was thought to be storing arms and explosives, the release indicated, and was positioned in mountainous terrain just north of the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria's central region.

"Our fighter planes used laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to target a several approach shafts leading to the site... early reports suggest the target was engaged successfully," the ministry announced.

There was no sign of any civilian impact in the operation late on Saturday and all the aircraft returned safely, the defence officials confirmed.

The British jets were assisted by a Voyager refuelling tanker.

IS - also known as Daesh - established militant control over significant areas in Iraq and Syria prior to its 2019 collapse.

"This action demonstrates the UK's leading role, and commitment to work closely with our allies, to eliminate any revival of Daesh and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the area," UK Defence Secretary John Healey remarked.

UK warplanes have conducted patrols over Syria to "forestall any attempted resurgence" of IS after its military defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the ministry said.

"I must thank every member of our armed forces involved in this operation for their skill and their bravery," the Defence Secretary commented. "They were part of numerous British personnel deployed over Christmas and New Year. This operation, to take out terrorist threats who pose a risk to our security, demonstrates how our armed forces are ready to step up, continuously, keeping Britain secure at home and influential overseas."

During December, the United States armed forces carried out what it called a "major assault" targeting Islamic State objectives in the country, after an assault resulted in the deaths of two US troops and a civilian linguist in Palmyra.

The U.N. estimates Daesh still boasts an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 combatants in Iraq and Syria.