British Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have joined forces with France's air force in a coordinated attack targeting an underground arms cache in Syria employed by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the British defence ministry.
The facility, pinpointed through surveillance, was assessed as containing munitions and bombs, the announcement noted, and was situated in mountains just to the north of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our aircraft employed Paveway IV guided bombs to target a number of access tunnels providing entry to the facility... early reports indicate the target was engaged successfully," the MoD said.
There was no indication of any civilian casualties in the operation on Saturday evening and all the aircraft returned safely, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon FGR4s were backed up by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
IS - alternatively referred to as ISIS - enforced militant control over significant areas in Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This strike underscores British leadership, and determination to stand shoulder to shoulder with our allies, to eliminate any revival of the terrorist group and their violent and radical beliefs in the area," Britain's Defence Chief the Defence Secretary remarked.
RAF aircraft have carried out patrols over Syrian airspace to "forestall any attempted comeback" of Islamic State after its military defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I want to thank all the members of British forces involved in this strike for their professionalism and their bravery," he added. "They were part of a great many British troops stationed over Christmas and New Year. This action, to remove dangerous terrorists who pose a risk to our security, shows how UK forces are always on standby, throughout the year, keeping Britain secure domestically and influential overseas."
During December, the American forces executed what it called a "large-scale strike" on Daesh sites in Syria, after an assault killed two American soldiers and a civilian linguist in Palmyra.
The U.N. reports Daesh still boasts roughly 5-7 thousand combatants in Syria and Iraq.
