British Air Force Typhoon jets have operated alongside French warplanes in a coordinated attack targeting an underground arms cache in Syria operated by the Daesh militant organization, per a report from the UK Ministry of Defence.
The location, located using surveillance, was assessed as housing weapons and explosive materials, the statement said, and was located in mountains just above Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our aircraft employed laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to hit a several approach shafts leading to the site... early reports suggest the strike was effective," the ministry announced.
There was no evidence of any harm to civilians in the strike on Saturday evening and every plane involved returned safely, the MoD added.
The Typhoon fighters were assisted by a Voyager tanker plane.
IS - alternatively referred to as Daesh - established militant control over large swathes of Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This operation demonstrates the UK's leading role, and determination to work closely with allied nations, to eliminate any resurgence of Daesh and their violent and radical beliefs in the Middle East," Britain's Defence Chief John Healey remarked.
UK warplanes have conducted overwatch operations over Syrian airspace to "forestall any attempted comeback" of IS after its military defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I want to thank the personnel of British forces who took part in this mission for their professionalism and their bravery," the Defence Secretary added. "Including them were numerous British troops on duty over Christmas and New Year. This operation, to take out terrorist threats who endanger our safety, highlights how our armed forces are ready to step up, continuously, ensuring Britain's security within its borders and influential overseas."
Last December, the United States armed forces carried out what it called a "massive strike" against Islamic State objectives in Syria, after an assault killed two US troops and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.
The U.N. estimates Islamic State still has roughly 5-7 thousand combatants in Iraq and Syria.
