British Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have operated alongside French warplanes in a coordinated attack targeting an underground arms cache in Syria employed by the Daesh militant organization, per a report from the UK Ministry of Defence.
The facility, identified by surveillance, was thought to be storing arms and explosives, the statement said, and was positioned in mountains just to the north of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our aircraft utilized Paveway IV guided bombs to hit a series of access tunnels down to the site... early reports are that the strike was effective," officials stated.
There was no evidence of any civilian impact in the attack conducted Saturday night and every plane involved returned to base without incident, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon fighters were supported by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
The Islamic State group - alternatively referred to as ISIS - imposed extremist governance over significant areas in Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This strike underscores the UK's leading role, and commitment to operate in unison with allied nations, to eradicate any resurgence of the terrorist group and their violent and radical beliefs in the region," Britain's Defence Chief John Healey stated.
British military aircraft have carried out overwatch operations over Syrian airspace to "forestall any attempted comeback" of IS following its military defeat at the battle of Baghuz in the year 2019, the MoD reported.
"I must thank all the members of the UK armed forces participating in this strike for their professionalism and their bravery," Healey said. "Including them were thousands of British troops deployed over the holidays. This operation, to take out dangerous terrorists who pose a risk to our safety, highlights how British military are ready to step up, continuously, protecting the UK within its borders and influential overseas."
In December, the American forces conducted what it termed a "large-scale strike" targeting Daesh sites in the country, subsequent to an ambush killed two US servicemembers and a civilian linguist in the Palmyra area.
The U.N. estimates Daesh still boasts an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 fighters in Syria and Iraq.
