Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have conducted a mission with French aircraft in a coordinated attack targeting an underground arms cache in Syrian territory employed by the IS group, per a report from the UK Ministry of Defence.
The location, pinpointed through surveillance, was thought to be storing arms and explosives, the announcement noted, and was positioned in mountainous terrain just north of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our fighter planes utilized Paveway IV guided bombs to strike a series of access tunnels providing entry to the site... initial indications suggest the strike was effective," the MoD said.
There was no evidence of any harm to civilians in the strike conducted Saturday night and all the aircraft returned safely, the ministry further stated.
The British jets were backed up by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
Daesh - also known as Daesh - imposed extremist governance over significant areas in both Syria and Iraq until 2019.
"This operation demonstrates British leadership, and resolve to work closely with our partners, to stamp out any re-emergence of IS and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the Middle East," UK Defence Secretary John Healey said.
RAF aircraft have performed surveillance missions over Syria to "forestall any attempted resurgence" of the group following its military defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I extend gratitude to all the members of our armed forces participating in this operation for their professionalism and their bravery," he said. "Including them were numerous UK service members stationed over Christmas and New Year. This action, to remove dangerous terrorists who pose a risk to our safety, shows how British military are prepared to act, throughout the year, ensuring Britain's security within its borders and influential overseas."
In December, the United States armed forces executed what it described as a "massive strike" against Daesh sites in the country, after an ambush claimed the lives of two US servicemembers and a local interpreter in Palmyra.
The United Nations reports Islamic State still maintains between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters in Iraq and Syria.
