Combined British-French Airstrike Strikes IS Weapons Depot in the Syrian region

British Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have conducted a mission with French aircraft in a coordinated attack targeting an hidden munitions depot in Syria operated by the IS group, according to the UK's MoD.

The facility, located using surveillance, was believed to be storing arms and explosives, the statement said, and was positioned in mountains just above the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria's central region.

"The RAF jets employed precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to strike a several approach shafts providing entry to the site... initial indications indicate the objective was successfully hit," officials stated.

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

The Typhoon fighters were supported by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.

The Islamic State group - also known as ISIS - established extremist governance over significant areas in Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.

"This operation demonstrates the UK's leading role, and determination to operate in unison with our partners, to eliminate any revival of IS and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the Middle East," Britain's Defence Chief John Healey said.

UK warplanes have conducted patrols over Syria to "deter any efforts to regroup" of Islamic State after its routing at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the authorities noted.

"I extend gratitude to the personnel of British forces who took part in this strike for their expertise and their courage," the Defence Secretary said. "They were part of numerous UK service members on duty over the holidays. This operation, to take out terrorist threats who threaten our security, demonstrates how our armed forces are ready to step up, all year round, keeping Britain secure within its borders and powerful internationally."

During December, the United States armed forces conducted what it described as a "large-scale strike" targeting Islamic State objectives in the country, subsequent to an attack claimed the lives of two American soldiers and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.

The U.N. says Islamic State still has roughly 5-7 thousand militants in both countries.