British Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have conducted a mission with French warplanes in a joint strike targeting an underground arms cache in Syria operated by the IS group, as stated by the UK Ministry of Defence.
The site, pinpointed through intelligence, was assessed as housing weapons and explosive materials, the announcement noted, and was positioned in mountains just to the north of the historic site of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"Our fighter planes utilized laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to hit a several access tunnels down to the site... initial indications are that the objective was successfully hit," officials stated.
There was no sign of any civilian casualties in the strike on Saturday evening and every plane involved made a safe return, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon fighters were assisted by a Voyager tanker plane.
Daesh - referred to as the so-called Islamic State - imposed militant control over large swathes of Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This strike demonstrates our UK leadership, and commitment to operate in unison with our allies, to stamp out any re-emergence of Daesh and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the Middle East," UK Defence Secretary the minister said.
British military aircraft have carried out patrols over Syrian airspace to "forestall any attempted resurgence" of IS following its defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the ministry said.
"I extend gratitude to all the members of our armed forces participating in this strike for their professionalism and their bravery," he said. "They were part of thousands of British troops stationed over Christmas and New Year. This mission, to remove terrorist threats who endanger our security, demonstrates how UK forces are ready to step up, all year round, protecting the UK at home and powerful internationally."
In December, the United States armed forces executed what it called a "massive strike" targeting IS targets in the country, following an ambush claimed the lives of two US servicemembers and a local interpreter in Palmyra.
The UN says Islamic State still has between 5,000 and 7,000 combatants in Iraq and Syria.
