British Air Force Typhoon jets have joined forces with French aircraft in a joint strike targeting an underground arms cache in Syria employed by the Islamic State group (IS), as stated by the British defence ministry.
The location, identified by surveillance, was assessed as containing munitions and bombs, the release indicated, and was positioned in mountains just to the north of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"Our fighter planes utilized precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to target a series of approach shafts leading to the facility... initial indications indicate the strike was effective," officials stated.
There was no sign of any harm to civilians in the attack conducted Saturday night and every plane involved returned to base without incident, the MoD added.
The Typhoon FGR4s were supported by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
IS - also known as the so-called Islamic State - enforced jihadist rule over significant areas in Syria and Iraq until 2019.
"This strike shows our UK leadership, and commitment to stand shoulder to shoulder with our allies, to eradicate any revival of the terrorist group and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the Middle East," UK Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary stated.
UK warplanes have conducted overwatch operations over Syrian airspace to "deter any attempted comeback" of IS after its defeat at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the authorities noted.
"I must thank the personnel of the UK armed forces involved in this operation for their skill and their bravery," Healey said. "They were part of numerous British troops deployed over the festive period. This mission, to remove terrorist threats who pose a risk to our safety, demonstrates how UK forces are prepared to act, continuously, keeping Britain secure at home and powerful internationally."
During December, the US military executed what it termed a "massive strike" against IS targets in the country, after an assault killed two US servicemembers and a civilian linguist in Palmyra.
The UN says Islamic State still maintains an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 fighters in Iraq and Syria.
