RAF Typhoon fighter aircraft have joined forces with French warplanes in a combined operation on an underground arms cache in Syria employed by the Daesh militant organization, as stated by the UK Ministry of Defence.
The location, pinpointed through intelligence, was assessed as storing arms and explosives, the announcement noted, and was located in mountains just north of the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our fighter planes utilized precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to strike a number of entry passages leading to the depot... preliminary assessments are that the target was engaged successfully," officials stated.
There was no sign of any civilian casualties in the strike late on Saturday and every plane involved made a safe return, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon fighters were supported by a Voyager tanker plane.
The Islamic State group - also known as ISIS - established militant control over significant areas in Syria and Iraq until 2019.
"This operation demonstrates the UK's leading role, and determination to work closely with allied nations, to eliminate any revival of the terrorist group and their violent and radical beliefs in the area," UK Defence Secretary the minister said.
British military aircraft have conducted overwatch operations over Syrian airspace to "prevent any attempted comeback" of IS after its defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the authorities noted.
"I must thank the personnel of the UK armed forces who took part in this mission for their professionalism and their courage," he said. "They were among a great many UK service members deployed over the holidays. This operation, to take out militants who endanger our safety, demonstrates how our armed forces are prepared to act, throughout the year, keeping Britain secure within its borders and influential overseas."
Last December, the US military carried out what it termed a "major assault" targeting Islamic State objectives in Syria, following an attack killed two US troops and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The U.N. says Islamic State still maintains roughly 5-7 thousand fighters in both countries.
