British Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have conducted a mission with French warplanes in a joint strike against an underground arms cache in Syria used by the Daesh militant organization, according to the British defence ministry.
The site, pinpointed through surveillance, was believed to be containing munitions and bombs, the statement said, and was situated in mountains just north of the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our fighter planes used laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to hit a several access tunnels down to the site... preliminary assessments are that the objective was successfully hit," officials stated.
There was no sign of any civilian impact in the strike late on Saturday and all the aircraft returned safely, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon fighters were supported by a Voyager tanker plane.
The Islamic State group - alternatively referred to as Daesh - imposed jihadist rule over significant areas in both Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This operation underscores British leadership, and resolve to stand shoulder to shoulder with our allies, to eradicate any revival of Daesh and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the area," the British Defence Secretary John Healey stated.
British military aircraft have carried out overwatch operations over Syrian airspace to "deter any attempted comeback" of the group after its military defeat at the battle of Baghuz in the year 2019, the MoD reported.
"I extend gratitude to every member of the UK armed forces participating in this operation for their expertise and their bravery," the Defence Secretary said. "They were part of thousands of British troops deployed over the festive period. This mission, to take out militants who pose a risk to our security, demonstrates how UK forces are always on standby, all year round, keeping Britain secure domestically and influential overseas."
During December, the American forces executed what it termed a "large-scale strike" on Daesh sites in Syria, after an ambush killed two US troops and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The United Nations estimates Islamic State still boasts an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 combatants in Iraq and Syria.
