RAF Typhoon FGR4s have conducted a mission with French warplanes in a joint strike on an underground arms cache in Syrian territory employed by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the UK Ministry of Defence.
The facility, pinpointed through intelligence, was believed to be containing munitions and bombs, the release indicated, and was positioned in mountainous terrain just north of the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our aircraft used laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to target a several entry passages down to the depot... preliminary assessments are that the objective was successfully hit," the ministry announced.
There was no evidence of any civilian casualties in the strike on Saturday evening and each participating jet made a safe return, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon fighters were assisted by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
The Islamic State group - alternatively referred to as the so-called Islamic State - imposed militant control over large swathes of Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This action demonstrates our UK leadership, and resolve to operate in unison with allied nations, to stamp out any revival of Daesh and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the area," UK Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary said.
RAF aircraft have conducted surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "prevent any efforts to regroup" of Islamic State subsequent to its routing at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the ministry said.
"I extend gratitude to the personnel of our armed forces involved in this operation for their professionalism and their valour," the Defence Secretary commented. "They were part of numerous British personnel deployed over Christmas and New Year. This operation, to take out militants who pose a risk to our way of life, highlights how UK forces are prepared to act, all year round, ensuring Britain's security at home and influential overseas."
In December, the United States armed forces executed what it described as a "major assault" against Daesh sites in Syria, subsequent to an ambush resulted in the deaths of two US servicemembers and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The United Nations reports Daesh still maintains roughly 5-7 thousand combatants in Iraq and Syria.
