RAF Typhoon FGR4s have conducted a mission with French aircraft in a coordinated attack targeting an underground arms cache in Syrian territory operated by the Daesh militant organization, per a report from the British defence ministry.
The location, pinpointed through reconnaissance, was believed to be storing arms and explosives, the release indicated, and was located in mountainous terrain just above Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"The RAF jets employed precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to strike a several approach shafts down to the depot... initial indications are that the strike was effective," the MoD said.
There was no evidence of any civilian casualties in the operation on Saturday evening and all the aircraft returned safely, the MoD added.
The Typhoon FGR4s were assisted by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
Daesh - also known as the so-called Islamic State - established extremist governance over large swathes of both Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This strike underscores our UK leadership, and commitment to stand shoulder to shoulder with allied nations, to eradicate any revival of IS and their violent and radical beliefs in the area," the British Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary stated.
UK warplanes have carried out surveillance missions over Syria to "forestall any efforts to regroup" of Islamic State after its routing at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I want to thank every member of British forces involved in this operation for their professionalism and their valour," Healey commented. "They were among thousands of UK service members on duty over the festive period. This mission, to eliminate militants who endanger our security, demonstrates how our armed forces are always on standby, throughout the year, keeping Britain secure at home and influential overseas."
Last December, the United States armed forces carried out what it termed a "massive strike" against IS targets in Syria, subsequent to an ambush resulted in the deaths of two US servicemembers and a civilian linguist in the Palmyra area.
The U.N. estimates Islamic State still maintains roughly 5-7 thousand combatants in Iraq and Syria.
