Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have operated alongside French aircraft in a combined operation targeting an underground arms cache in Syria used by the Islamic State group (IS), according to the UK Ministry of Defence.
The facility, pinpointed through reconnaissance, was assessed as containing munitions and bombs, the release indicated, and was located in mountains just to the north of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our fighter planes employed Paveway IV guided bombs to strike a several approach shafts leading to the depot... initial indications indicate the strike was effective," officials stated.
There was no sign of any harm to civilians in the attack conducted Saturday night and all the aircraft made a safe return, the defence officials confirmed.
The Typhoon fighters were backed up by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
IS - also known as Daesh - established militant control over large swathes of Iraq and Syria until 2019.
"This operation demonstrates British leadership, and determination to work closely with our allies, to eradicate any resurgence of Daesh and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the region," Britain's Defence Chief the minister remarked.
UK warplanes have carried out overwatch operations over Syrian airspace to "prevent any efforts to regroup" of IS subsequent to its defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the ministry said.
"I want to thank the personnel of British forces who took part in this operation for their skill and their bravery," he said. "They were part of numerous British personnel stationed over the holidays. This mission, to take out dangerous terrorists who threaten our security, demonstrates how our armed forces are prepared to act, all year round, ensuring Britain's security domestically and influential overseas."
Last December, the American forces carried out what it described as a "massive strike" targeting Islamic State objectives in the country, following an assault claimed the lives of two US servicemembers and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.
The U.N. estimates Daesh still has an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 fighters in both countries.
