Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have joined forces with French aircraft in a coordinated attack on an underground arms cache in Syria used by the Daesh militant organization, according to the British defence ministry.
The location, pinpointed through surveillance, was thought to be storing arms and explosives, the announcement noted, and was located in mountainous terrain just north of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"Our fighter planes used precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to strike a series of access tunnels leading to the site... early reports are that the strike was effective," officials stated.
There was no indication of any civilian impact in the operation late on Saturday and every plane involved returned to base without incident, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon fighters were assisted by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
Daesh - alternatively referred to as ISIS - established militant control over large swathes of Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This operation shows our UK leadership, and resolve to stand shoulder to shoulder with our partners, to eliminate any resurgence of IS and their violent and radical beliefs in the region," Britain's Defence Chief John Healey stated.
RAF aircraft have conducted overwatch operations over Syria to "deter any attempted comeback" of IS following its routing at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the ministry said.
"I must thank the personnel of British forces involved in this strike for their expertise and their bravery," the Defence Secretary said. "They were part of thousands of British personnel stationed over the holidays. This action, to eliminate dangerous terrorists who threaten our way of life, highlights how our armed forces are always on standby, all year round, keeping Britain secure within its borders and strong abroad."
Last December, the United States armed forces executed what it described as a "massive strike" targeting Islamic State objectives in the country, subsequent to an ambush killed two US servicemembers and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.
The U.N. estimates Islamic State still boasts an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 combatants in Syria and Iraq.
