Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have conducted a mission with France's air force in a joint strike on an underground arms cache in Syrian territory employed by the Islamic State group (IS), according to the British defence ministry.
The location, identified by reconnaissance, was assessed as housing weapons and explosive materials, the release indicated, and was located in mountainous terrain just to the north of the ancient city of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"Our aircraft employed laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to strike a number of approach shafts leading to the depot... early reports are that the target was engaged successfully," the MoD said.
There was no indication of any harm to civilians in the operation on Saturday evening and every plane involved returned to base without incident, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon fighters were supported by a Voyager tanker plane.
IS - alternatively referred to as Daesh - imposed militant control over large swathes of both Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This strike shows the UK's leading role, and commitment to operate in unison with our allies, to stamp out any revival of IS and their violent and radical beliefs in the area," the British Defence Secretary John Healey remarked.
RAF aircraft have performed patrols over Syrian airspace to "prevent any efforts to regroup" of IS after its military defeat at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the authorities noted.
"I extend gratitude to every member of our armed forces participating in this strike for their skill and their bravery," Healey commented. "They were among thousands of British personnel stationed over the holidays. This action, to eliminate terrorist threats who pose a risk to our way of life, shows how our armed forces are prepared to act, continuously, keeping Britain secure domestically and powerful internationally."
During December, the US military carried out what it called a "large-scale strike" on Islamic State objectives in the country, after an assault claimed the lives of two US servicemembers and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The UN estimates Islamic State still maintains roughly 5-7 thousand combatants in Iraq and Syria.
