British Air Force Typhoon jets have joined forces with French aircraft in a coordinated attack against an underground arms cache in Syrian territory operated by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the UK Ministry of Defence.
The site, identified by intelligence, was assessed as containing munitions and bombs, the statement said, and was positioned in hills just north of the historic site of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"Our fighter planes employed laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to target a several entry passages down to the facility... preliminary assessments suggest the objective was successfully hit," the MoD said.
There was no evidence of any civilian casualties in the attack on Saturday evening and each participating jet made a safe return, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon fighters were supported by a Voyager tanker plane.
IS - alternatively referred to as Daesh - enforced jihadist rule over parts of Iraq and Syria until 2019.
"This operation shows British leadership, and commitment to stand shoulder to shoulder with allied nations, to stamp out any revival of Daesh and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the area," the British Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary remarked.
RAF aircraft have performed overwatch operations over Syria to "forestall any efforts to regroup" of IS subsequent to its defeat at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I want to thank all the members of the UK armed forces who took part in this operation for their skill and their valour," Healey commented. "They were part of numerous British troops on duty over the holidays. This action, to eliminate militants who endanger our way of life, demonstrates how our armed forces are prepared to act, continuously, ensuring Britain's security within its borders and influential overseas."
During December, the US military conducted what it called a "massive strike" against Islamic State objectives in the country, following an assault resulted in the deaths of two American soldiers and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.
The UN says Islamic State still boasts between 5,000 and 7,000 combatants in Iraq and Syria.
