BRITAIN and France carried out a joint air strike in central Syria on Saturday night, targeting an underground facility where members of the Islamic State (Isis) jihadist group were suspected of storing weapons and explosives.

In London, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement that guided bombs had been used to target a number of tunnels giving access to the structure in the mountains just north of the historic town of Palmyra in Homs province.

There was no immediate comment on the strikes from Syria’s government, which joined the US-led alliance fighting Isis militants late last year. Nor were there details of any casualties.

The ministry said Typhoon FGR4 fighter jets had been supported by a Voyager refuelling tanker in the strike, which was joined by French aircraft. It said Paveway IV guided bombs had targeted a number of access tunnels and initial indications suggested the target was “engaged successfully.”

Defence Secretary John Healey said that Britain was determined to “stand shoulder to shoulder with our allies” to “stamp out any resurgence” of Isis.

Posting on X today, the French military said that “the fight against terrorism remains a priority” for France and its partners.

Despite its defeat in Syria in 2019, Isis sleeper cells still carry out deadly attacks in Syria and Iraq, where the extremists once declared their caliphate. United Nations experts say the group still has between 5,000 and 7,000 members across its former stronghold in those two countries.

Last month, the United States launched military strikes in Syria to “eliminate” Isis fighters and weapons sites in retaliation for an ambush near Palmyra that had killed two US troops and a US civilian interpreter some days before.