RAF Typhoon fighter aircraft have joined forces with French aircraft in a combined operation against an underground arms cache in Syria used by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the UK Ministry of Defence.
The site, pinpointed through reconnaissance, was believed to be storing arms and explosives, the release indicated, and was situated in mountains just above the historic site of Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our fighter planes employed precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to hit a series of entry passages leading to the site... early reports indicate the objective was successfully hit," the ministry announced.
There was no sign of any civilian casualties in the strike conducted Saturday night and each participating jet returned safely, the defence officials confirmed.
The Typhoon FGR4s were supported by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
The Islamic State group - referred to as Daesh - enforced militant control over large swathes of both Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This action demonstrates the UK's leading role, and determination to work closely with our allies, to eradicate any re-emergence of IS and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the Middle East," UK Defence Secretary John Healey said.
RAF aircraft have carried out surveillance missions over Syria to "deter any attempted comeback" of the group subsequent to its military defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in the year 2019, the MoD reported.
"I want to thank every member of British forces involved in this strike for their expertise and their bravery," the Defence Secretary commented. "They were among thousands of British troops deployed over the holidays. This action, to eliminate dangerous terrorists who endanger our security, shows how our armed forces are ready to step up, all year round, ensuring Britain's security domestically and influential overseas."
In December, the United States armed forces executed what it called a "major assault" targeting Islamic State objectives in Syria, after an assault killed two American soldiers and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.
The United Nations reports IS still has between 5,000 and 7,000 combatants in Syria and Iraq.
