British Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have conducted a mission with French warplanes in a joint strike on an underground arms cache in Syria employed by the Islamic State group (IS), according to the UK's MoD.
The site, located using surveillance, was believed to be storing arms and explosives, the release indicated, and was situated in mountainous terrain just above the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our fighter planes used Paveway IV guided bombs to strike a several access tunnels down to the site... initial indications indicate the strike was effective," officials stated.
There was no indication of any civilian impact in the operation late on Saturday and every plane involved made a safe return, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon FGR4s were backed up by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
The Islamic State group - alternatively referred to as Daesh - imposed extremist governance over significant areas in Iraq and Syria prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This strike shows the UK's leading role, and resolve to operate in unison with our partners, to eliminate any revival of IS and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the Middle East," Britain's Defence Chief the Defence Secretary remarked.
British military aircraft have carried out patrols over Syrian airspace to "deter any attempted comeback" of IS after its routing at the battle of Baghuz in the year 2019, the authorities noted.
"I want to thank every member of our armed forces involved in this operation for their skill and their courage," Healey commented. "Including them were a great many British personnel stationed over the holidays. This action, to take out terrorist threats who endanger our way of life, highlights how UK forces are always on standby, throughout the year, ensuring Britain's security domestically and influential overseas."
Last December, the US military carried out what it called a "massive strike" on Islamic State objectives in the country, after an assault killed two US servicemembers and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The U.N. reports Islamic State still boasts an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 fighters in Syria and Iraq.
