RAF Typhoon fighter aircraft have joined forces with French aircraft in a combined operation against an underground arms cache in Syria employed by the Daesh militant organization, per a report from the UK's MoD.
The facility, pinpointed through intelligence, was assessed as storing arms and explosives, the statement said, and was situated in hills just to the north of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"Our aircraft utilized precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to hit a several access tunnels down to the site... initial indications suggest the objective was successfully hit," officials stated.
There was no sign of any harm to civilians in the attack conducted Saturday night and each participating jet made a safe return, the ministry further stated.
The British jets were supported by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
The Islamic State group - also known as Daesh - imposed militant control over parts of Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This strike underscores British leadership, and commitment to stand shoulder to shoulder with our allies, to eradicate any re-emergence of the terrorist group and their violent and radical beliefs in the region," UK Defence Secretary the minister said.
RAF aircraft have conducted surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "deter any attempted resurgence" of the group after its routing at the Baghuz confrontation in the year 2019, the authorities noted.
"I want to thank every member of our armed forces involved in this operation for their skill and their bravery," Healey said. "They were among numerous British troops deployed over the holidays. This operation, to eliminate terrorist threats who pose a risk to our safety, demonstrates how British military are prepared to act, continuously, ensuring Britain's security within its borders and powerful internationally."
Last December, the United States armed forces carried out what it termed a "major assault" on Daesh sites in Syria, after an attack claimed the lives of two American soldiers and a civilian interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The United Nations says Daesh still has an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 fighters in Syria and Iraq.
