RAF Typhoon jets have conducted a mission with French warplanes in a joint strike targeting an underground arms cache in Syrian territory employed by the Daesh militant organization, per a report from the UK's MoD.
The site, located using intelligence, was assessed as containing munitions and bombs, the release indicated, and was positioned in mountains just above the historic site of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our aircraft utilized Paveway IV guided bombs to target a several access tunnels down to the facility... initial indications indicate the objective was successfully hit," the MoD said.
There was no indication of any harm to civilians in the operation on Saturday evening and every plane involved made a safe return, the defence officials confirmed.
The Typhoon FGR4s were backed up by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
The Islamic State group - alternatively referred to as the so-called Islamic State - enforced extremist governance over significant areas in both Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This operation shows our UK leadership, and commitment to stand shoulder to shoulder with our partners, to eradicate any revival of Daesh and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the Middle East," UK Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary remarked.
UK warplanes have performed surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "prevent any attempted comeback" of Islamic State subsequent to its defeat at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I must thank all the members of British forces who took part in this strike for their skill and their bravery," the Defence Secretary commented. "Including them were a great many UK service members on duty over the festive period. This action, to remove militants who pose a risk to our security, shows how UK forces are prepared to act, all year round, ensuring Britain's security within its borders and influential overseas."
Last December, the United States armed forces executed what it termed a "large-scale strike" targeting IS targets in Syria, subsequent to an attack resulted in the deaths of two US troops and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.
The UN estimates IS still boasts between 5,000 and 7,000 combatants in Iraq and Syria.
