RAF Typhoon fighter aircraft have joined forces with French aircraft in a joint strike on an underground arms cache in Syria operated by the Daesh militant organization, according to the British defence ministry.
The site, pinpointed through intelligence, was thought to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the announcement noted, and was situated in mountainous terrain just north of the historic site of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our fighter planes employed precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to strike a several entry passages leading to the facility... preliminary assessments are that the objective was successfully hit," the ministry announced.
There was no evidence of any harm to civilians in the operation on Saturday evening and every plane involved returned safely, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon FGR4s were supported by a Voyager tanker plane.
IS - also known as the so-called Islamic State - established extremist governance over parts of Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This strike demonstrates British leadership, and resolve to operate in unison with our partners, to eradicate any re-emergence of Daesh and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the Middle East," UK Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary remarked.
UK warplanes have carried out patrols over Syria to "forestall any attempted resurgence" of Islamic State subsequent to its military defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the ministry said.
"I must thank all the members of British forces involved in this strike for their expertise and their valour," Healey said. "They were part of a great many British personnel deployed over Christmas and New Year. This action, to remove militants who endanger our safety, highlights how our armed forces are ready to step up, throughout the year, keeping Britain secure at home and strong abroad."
During December, the United States armed forces carried out what it described as a "large-scale strike" targeting Islamic State objectives in Syria, after an assault claimed the lives of two US servicemembers and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The United Nations estimates Daesh still has between 5,000 and 7,000 militants in Syria and Iraq.
