RAF Typhoon FGR4s have joined forces with French warplanes in a combined operation on an underground arms cache in Syrian territory employed by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the UK Ministry of Defence.
The facility, located using intelligence, was thought to be storing arms and explosives, the release indicated, and was located in mountains just north of Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our aircraft used Paveway IV guided bombs to strike a number of approach shafts providing entry to the depot... preliminary assessments suggest the objective was successfully hit," officials stated.
There was no sign of any harm to civilians in the strike conducted Saturday night and each participating jet returned safely, the defence officials confirmed.
The British jets were backed up by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
The Islamic State group - also known as ISIS - imposed militant control over parts of Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This action demonstrates the UK's leading role, and commitment to stand shoulder to shoulder with our partners, to stamp out any re-emergence of the terrorist group and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the region," Britain's Defence Chief John Healey stated.
UK warplanes have performed surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "deter any attempted resurgence" of Islamic State subsequent to its defeat at the battle of Baghuz in the year 2019, the MoD reported.
"I extend gratitude to all the members of our armed forces participating in this strike for their expertise and their valour," he commented. "They were part of a great many UK service members on duty over the holidays. This mission, to remove terrorist threats who threaten our way of life, shows how UK forces are ready to step up, all year round, protecting the UK domestically and influential overseas."
During December, the American forces carried out what it described as a "major assault" on Daesh sites in Syria, following an ambush resulted in the deaths of two US troops and a local interpreter in Palmyra.
The U.N. reports Daesh still maintains an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 combatants in both countries.
