Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have joined forces with French warplanes in a combined operation against an underground arms cache in Syria employed by the IS group, as stated by the UK Ministry of Defence.
The site, located using reconnaissance, was assessed as housing weapons and explosive materials, the statement said, and was positioned in mountainous terrain just north of the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our aircraft employed precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to strike a several entry passages down to the site... initial indications indicate the objective was successfully hit," officials stated.
There was no evidence of any civilian casualties in the attack late on Saturday and each participating jet returned to base without incident, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon FGR4s were supported by a Voyager tanker plane.
Daesh - referred to as ISIS - enforced militant control over significant areas in Iraq and Syria prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This operation shows British leadership, and commitment to operate in unison with allied nations, to eradicate any revival of IS and their violent and radical beliefs in the area," Britain's Defence Chief the Defence Secretary stated.
British military aircraft have carried out overwatch operations over Syria to "deter any attempted resurgence" of Islamic State following its military defeat at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the ministry said.
"I extend gratitude to all the members of the UK armed forces involved in this mission for their expertise and their courage," the Defence Secretary commented. "Including them were thousands of British troops on duty over the holidays. This operation, to take out militants who endanger our way of life, demonstrates how UK forces are prepared to act, throughout the year, ensuring Britain's security within its borders and influential overseas."
In December, the American forces carried out what it termed a "large-scale strike" against Islamic State objectives in the country, after an attack killed two US servicemembers and a civilian linguist in Palmyra.
The United Nations says Islamic State still has an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 militants in both countries.
