Royal Air Force Typhoon jets joined French aircraft in a joint air strike against an underground arms cache used by the Islamic State group (IS) in Syria. The UK Ministry of Defence said intelligence identified the facility, located in mountains just north of Palmyra. The MoD stated, "Our aircraft used Paveway IV guided bombs to target a number of access tunnels down to the facility... initial indications are that the target was engaged successfully." The strike occurred late on Saturday and there were no signs of civilian harm. All aircraft returned safely. The Typhoon FGR4s were supported by a Voyager refuelling tanker. IS, also known as Daesh, ruled parts of Syria and Iraq until 2019. UK Defence Secretary John Healey said, "This action shows our UK leadership, and determination to stand shoulder to shoulder with our allies, to stamp out any resurgence of Daesh and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the Middle East." The RAF has patrolled Syrian skies to prevent IS resurgence since its defeat at Baghuz in 2019. Healey added, "I want to thank all the members of our armed forces involved in this operation for their professionalism and their courage... This operation, to eliminate dangerous terrorists who threaten our way of life, shows how our armed forces are ready to step up, all year round, keeping Britain secure at home and strong abroad." In December, the US military launched a "massive strike" on IS targets in Syria after an ambush near Palmyra killed two American soldiers and a civilian interpreter. The United Nations estimates IS still has 5,000 to 7,000 fighters across Syria and Iraq.