RAF Typhoon fighter aircraft have operated alongside French warplanes in a coordinated attack against an underground arms cache in Syrian territory used by the Daesh militant organization, per a report from the UK's MoD.
The facility, located using surveillance, was believed to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the release indicated, and was positioned in mountains just north of the historic site of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"Our aircraft used precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to hit a series of approach shafts leading to the site... preliminary assessments are that the objective was successfully hit," the MoD said.
There was no sign of any civilian casualties in the attack conducted Saturday night and each participating jet returned safely, the defence officials confirmed.
The Typhoon FGR4s were backed up by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
IS - alternatively referred to as ISIS - imposed militant control over significant areas in Iraq and Syria prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This action demonstrates the UK's leading role, and resolve to work closely with allied nations, to eradicate any resurgence of Daesh and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the region," UK Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary remarked.
British military aircraft have conducted patrols over Syrian airspace to "deter any attempted resurgence" of the group following its defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I must thank all the members of the UK armed forces participating in this mission for their professionalism and their bravery," Healey said. "They were among numerous British personnel stationed over the holidays. This mission, to eliminate terrorist threats who threaten our way of life, shows how UK forces are always on standby, throughout the year, protecting the UK at home and strong abroad."
During December, the US military conducted what it called a "large-scale strike" targeting IS targets in the country, subsequent to an ambush resulted in the deaths of two US troops and a civilian interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The UN reports Islamic State still maintains an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 combatants in Syria and Iraq.
