RAF Typhoon fighter aircraft have conducted a mission with France's air force in a joint strike targeting an underground arms cache in Syrian territory employed by the IS group, as stated by the British defence ministry.
The facility, located using intelligence, was assessed as storing arms and explosives, the release indicated, and was situated in mountainous terrain just north of the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our aircraft utilized laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to target a series of entry passages providing entry to the depot... initial indications suggest the target was engaged successfully," officials stated.
There was no evidence of any civilian casualties in the attack conducted Saturday night and every plane involved returned to base without incident, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon FGR4s were backed up by a Voyager tanker plane.
The Islamic State group - referred to as the so-called Islamic State - enforced jihadist rule over significant areas in Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This operation underscores the UK's leading role, and commitment to stand shoulder to shoulder with allied nations, to eradicate any re-emergence of Daesh and their violent and radical beliefs in the region," the British Defence Secretary John Healey stated.
UK warplanes have carried out surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "forestall any attempted comeback" of Islamic State following its defeat at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I want to thank all the members of our armed forces who took part in this mission for their skill and their valour," Healey said. "Including them were a great many British troops deployed over the holidays. This operation, to eliminate dangerous terrorists who pose a risk to our way of life, demonstrates how UK forces are prepared to act, all year round, protecting the UK at home and powerful internationally."
In December, the US military conducted what it termed a "large-scale strike" targeting IS targets in Syria, subsequent to an attack claimed the lives of two US servicemembers and a civilian interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The U.N. reports IS still boasts between 5,000 and 7,000 militants in Syria and Iraq.
