RAF Typhoon fighter aircraft have conducted a mission with French warplanes in a joint strike on an underground arms cache in Syrian territory employed by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the British defence ministry.
The location, identified by reconnaissance, was assessed as containing munitions and bombs, the statement said, and was positioned in mountains just to the north of the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our fighter planes used Paveway IV guided bombs to hit a several entry passages providing entry to the site... early reports are that the objective was successfully hit," officials stated.
There was no evidence of any civilian impact in the attack late on Saturday and each participating jet returned safely, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon FGR4s were supported by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
IS - also known as Daesh - established extremist governance over significant areas in both Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This strike shows British leadership, and determination to work closely with our allies, to stamp out any resurgence of Daesh and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the region," the British Defence Secretary the minister stated.
British military aircraft have carried out overwatch operations over Syria to "forestall any attempted comeback" of the group subsequent to its military defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in the year 2019, the MoD reported.
"I must thank all the members of our armed forces involved in this mission for their skill and their bravery," Healey commented. "They were among a great many UK service members stationed over the festive period. This operation, to take out dangerous terrorists who threaten our security, shows how our armed forces are ready to step up, continuously, protecting the UK within its borders and influential overseas."
Last December, the United States armed forces conducted what it described as a "large-scale strike" on Daesh sites in the country, following an assault killed two US troops and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The United Nations estimates Daesh still has between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters in Iraq and Syria.
