British Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have conducted a mission with French aircraft in a combined operation targeting an underground arms cache in Syria employed by the Islamic State group (IS), as stated by the UK Ministry of Defence.
The site, identified by intelligence, was assessed as containing munitions and bombs, the announcement noted, and was situated in hills just to the north of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our aircraft used laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to target a number of approach shafts down to the facility... early reports suggest the objective was successfully hit," officials stated.
There was no sign of any civilian impact in the attack late on Saturday and all the aircraft returned to base without incident, the MoD added.
The Typhoon FGR4s were supported by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
IS - referred to as ISIS - imposed extremist governance over significant areas in Syria and Iraq until 2019.
"This operation shows British leadership, and resolve to operate in unison with our allies, to stamp out any re-emergence of IS and their violent and radical beliefs in the Middle East," the British Defence Secretary John Healey remarked.
UK warplanes have conducted patrols over Syria to "prevent any attempted resurgence" of Islamic State subsequent to its military defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the ministry said.
"I must thank the personnel of the UK armed forces participating in this strike for their skill and their bravery," he commented. "Including them were a great many British personnel stationed over the holidays. This action, to take out militants who endanger our safety, demonstrates how our armed forces are always on standby, throughout the year, protecting the UK domestically and influential overseas."
Last December, the US military conducted what it described as a "massive strike" targeting IS targets in the country, following an ambush killed two US troops and a local interpreter in Palmyra.
The UN reports Daesh still boasts between 5,000 and 7,000 militants in both countries.
