British Air Force Typhoon jets have conducted a mission with France's air force in a combined operation targeting an underground arms cache in Syria employed by the IS group, per a report from the UK Ministry of Defence.
The site, identified by reconnaissance, was thought to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the release indicated, and was situated in mountains just to the north of the historic site of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our fighter planes used laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to strike a number of approach shafts leading to the site... early reports are that the strike was effective," the MoD said.
There was no evidence of any civilian impact in the operation late on Saturday and all the aircraft returned to base without incident, the MoD added.
The British jets were supported by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
The Islamic State group - also known as the so-called Islamic State - established extremist governance over large swathes of Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This strike shows the UK's leading role, and resolve to operate in unison with allied nations, to eradicate any resurgence of the terrorist group and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the Middle East," Britain's Defence Chief John Healey stated.
British military aircraft have performed patrols over Syria to "prevent any efforts to regroup" of Islamic State after its defeat at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I want to thank the personnel of British forces involved in this strike for their skill and their bravery," the Defence Secretary commented. "They were part of thousands of British troops stationed over Christmas and New Year. This mission, to remove terrorist threats who threaten our security, shows how our armed forces are prepared to act, continuously, protecting the UK at home and influential overseas."
During December, the US military executed what it described as a "massive strike" against Islamic State objectives in the country, after an assault killed two US servicemembers and a civilian interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The U.N. estimates Daesh still maintains roughly 5-7 thousand militants in both countries.
