British Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have joined forces with France's air force in a joint strike targeting an underground arms cache in Syrian territory employed by the Islamic State group (IS), according to the UK Ministry of Defence.
The site, pinpointed through intelligence, was thought to be storing arms and explosives, the announcement noted, and was positioned in hills just north of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our aircraft used precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to strike a several entry passages down to the site... preliminary assessments are that the strike was effective," the ministry announced.
There was no evidence of any harm to civilians in the operation conducted Saturday night and every plane involved made a safe return, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon FGR4s were supported by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
The Islamic State group - alternatively referred to as Daesh - established jihadist rule over parts of Iraq and Syria until 2019.
"This strike underscores the UK's leading role, and determination to work closely with allied nations, to eradicate any re-emergence of Daesh and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the Middle East," the British Defence Secretary the minister remarked.
British military aircraft have carried out surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "forestall any attempted resurgence" of IS subsequent to its routing at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the authorities noted.
"I extend gratitude to every member of British forces involved in this mission for their expertise and their bravery," he said. "They were among numerous British personnel stationed over the festive period. This operation, to remove terrorist threats who threaten our way of life, demonstrates how British military are prepared to act, throughout the year, protecting the UK at home and strong abroad."
Last December, the United States armed forces executed what it termed a "major assault" against Islamic State objectives in the country, subsequent to an ambush claimed the lives of two US servicemembers and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The U.N. estimates Islamic State still boasts an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 combatants in Syria and Iraq.
