British Air Force Typhoon jets have joined forces with French warplanes in a combined operation targeting an underground arms cache in Syrian territory employed by the Islamic State group (IS), as stated by the UK's MoD.
The site, identified by surveillance, was thought to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the announcement noted, and was positioned in mountainous terrain just above the historic site of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"Our aircraft used precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to strike a several access tunnels down to the depot... initial indications are that the objective was successfully hit," the ministry announced.
There was no sign of any civilian impact in the operation late on Saturday and each participating jet made a safe return, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon fighters were supported by a Voyager tanker plane.
Daesh - referred to as the so-called Islamic State - established extremist governance over parts of Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This action underscores our UK leadership, and determination to work closely with allied nations, to eradicate any resurgence of IS and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the Middle East," UK Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary remarked.
British military aircraft have carried out patrols over Syrian airspace to "forestall any efforts to regroup" of IS following its military defeat at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the ministry said.
"I must thank the personnel of the UK armed forces who took part in this mission for their expertise and their bravery," he commented. "They were part of thousands of British personnel stationed over the festive period. This action, to eliminate dangerous terrorists who threaten our security, highlights how our armed forces are always on standby, throughout the year, ensuring Britain's security at home and strong abroad."
Last December, the United States armed forces carried out what it termed a "large-scale strike" targeting IS targets in the country, after an assault claimed the lives of two American soldiers and a civilian linguist in the Palmyra area.
The United Nations says Daesh still boasts roughly 5-7 thousand militants in both countries.
