RAF Typhoon FGR4s have conducted a mission with French warplanes in a coordinated attack targeting an underground arms cache in Syrian territory operated by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the British defence ministry.
The site, pinpointed through reconnaissance, was believed to be containing munitions and bombs, the release indicated, and was situated in mountains just above the historic site of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our fighter planes utilized laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to target a number of approach shafts leading to the site... preliminary assessments suggest the target was engaged successfully," the MoD said.
There was no evidence of any harm to civilians in the strike conducted Saturday night and each participating jet returned safely, the ministry further stated.
The British jets were assisted by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
IS - also known as ISIS - established extremist governance over parts of Iraq and Syria prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This action shows British leadership, and resolve to stand shoulder to shoulder with allied nations, to stamp out any resurgence of the terrorist group and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the area," the British Defence Secretary the minister stated.
UK warplanes have conducted surveillance missions over Syria to "forestall any attempted comeback" of IS subsequent to its routing at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I extend gratitude to all the members of the UK armed forces participating in this strike for their expertise and their valour," the Defence Secretary commented. "Including them were numerous UK service members stationed over the festive period. This mission, to remove terrorist threats who pose a risk to our safety, demonstrates how our armed forces are prepared to act, continuously, protecting the UK within its borders and strong abroad."
During December, the US military conducted what it called a "major assault" against Islamic State objectives in Syria, subsequent to an ambush resulted in the deaths of two US servicemembers and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The UN reports Islamic State still has between 5,000 and 7,000 combatants in Syria and Iraq.
