Royal Air Force Typhoon jets have conducted a mission with France's air force in a joint strike on an underground arms cache in Syrian territory operated by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the British defence ministry.
The location, pinpointed through intelligence, was thought to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the announcement noted, and was situated in mountainous terrain just to the north of the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our aircraft employed Paveway IV guided bombs to hit a number of access tunnels leading to the depot... preliminary assessments suggest the target was engaged successfully," the ministry announced.
There was no sign of any harm to civilians in the operation conducted Saturday night and every plane involved returned safely, the ministry further stated.
The British jets were assisted by a Voyager tanker plane.
Daesh - referred to as Daesh - enforced extremist governance over significant areas in Iraq and Syria until 2019.
"This strike demonstrates British leadership, and resolve to work closely with allied nations, to eliminate any resurgence of IS and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the region," UK Defence Secretary the minister remarked.
RAF aircraft have conducted overwatch operations over Syria to "prevent any efforts to regroup" of Islamic State subsequent to its routing at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the ministry said.
"I want to thank the personnel of the UK armed forces involved in this operation for their expertise and their valour," Healey added. "They were among thousands of British troops stationed over Christmas and New Year. This operation, to remove militants who endanger our way of life, shows how our armed forces are prepared to act, throughout the year, ensuring Britain's security within its borders and powerful internationally."
In December, the United States armed forces conducted what it called a "large-scale strike" against IS targets in Syria, after an ambush resulted in the deaths of two US troops and a local interpreter in Palmyra.
The United Nations estimates Islamic State still maintains an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 militants in Iraq and Syria.
