British Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have joined forces with French aircraft in a joint strike against an underground arms cache in Syrian territory operated by the IS group, according to the UK Ministry of Defence.
The site, pinpointed through surveillance, was assessed as housing weapons and explosive materials, the release indicated, and was situated in mountainous terrain just to the north of the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our aircraft used precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to hit a several approach shafts leading to the depot... preliminary assessments suggest the strike was effective," officials stated.
There was no indication of any civilian impact in the strike conducted Saturday night and each participating jet returned safely, the defence officials confirmed.
The Typhoon fighters were assisted by a Voyager tanker plane.
IS - also known as the so-called Islamic State - established jihadist rule over large swathes of both Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This action underscores our UK leadership, and determination to stand shoulder to shoulder with our allies, to eliminate any revival of IS and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the area," Britain's Defence Chief John Healey stated.
RAF aircraft have conducted overwatch operations over Syria to "prevent any attempted resurgence" of Islamic State after its defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I extend gratitude to every member of the UK armed forces involved in this operation for their skill and their valour," Healey said. "They were part of thousands of British personnel stationed over the holidays. This mission, to eliminate dangerous terrorists who endanger our way of life, highlights how UK forces are ready to step up, throughout the year, ensuring Britain's security within its borders and strong abroad."
Last December, the American forces carried out what it called a "large-scale strike" against IS targets in Syria, subsequent to an ambush claimed the lives of two American soldiers and a civilian interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The U.N. estimates Daesh still has between 5,000 and 7,000 combatants in both countries.
