Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have conducted a mission with French warplanes in a joint strike targeting an underground arms cache in Syrian territory used by the Islamic State group (IS), as stated by the British defence ministry.
The location, pinpointed through reconnaissance, was thought to be containing munitions and bombs, the announcement noted, and was situated in mountainous terrain just above Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our fighter planes utilized precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to target a series of entry passages down to the site... early reports indicate the target was engaged successfully," the ministry announced.
There was no indication of any civilian impact in the attack conducted Saturday night and all the aircraft returned safely, the defence officials confirmed.
The British jets were supported by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
IS - alternatively referred to as the so-called Islamic State - enforced extremist governance over large swathes of Iraq and Syria until 2019.
"This operation demonstrates British leadership, and resolve to operate in unison with our allies, to eliminate any resurgence of IS and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the region," Britain's Defence Chief the minister remarked.
UK warplanes have conducted surveillance missions over Syria to "prevent any efforts to regroup" of IS after its routing at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I extend gratitude to every member of British forces who took part in this operation for their skill and their courage," he commented. "Including them were numerous UK service members deployed over Christmas and New Year. This action, to take out terrorist threats who endanger our way of life, demonstrates how UK forces are ready to step up, throughout the year, protecting the UK within its borders and strong abroad."
Last December, the United States armed forces conducted what it called a "major assault" against Islamic State objectives in the country, after an assault killed two US servicemembers and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.
The United Nations estimates Islamic State still has between 5,000 and 7,000 combatants in Syria and Iraq.
