RAF Typhoon FGR4s have conducted a mission with French warplanes in a joint strike on an underground arms cache in Syria employed by the Daesh militant organization, according to the UK Ministry of Defence.
The facility, pinpointed through surveillance, was thought to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the release indicated, and was located in hills just north of the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"The RAF jets employed precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to strike a number of access tunnels leading to the facility... early reports indicate the strike was effective," the ministry announced.
There was no evidence of any civilian casualties in the attack on Saturday evening and each participating jet returned to base without incident, the defence officials confirmed.
The Typhoon fighters were assisted by a Voyager tanker plane.
Daesh - referred to as ISIS - enforced militant control over large swathes of both Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This strike underscores the UK's leading role, and resolve to operate in unison with allied nations, to stamp out any re-emergence of IS and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the region," UK Defence Secretary John Healey stated.
British military aircraft have conducted patrols over Syria to "deter any attempted resurgence" of the group after its defeat at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I must thank every member of the UK armed forces participating in this strike for their skill and their valour," Healey said. "They were part of numerous British troops deployed over Christmas and New Year. This mission, to eliminate dangerous terrorists who endanger our security, demonstrates how British military are ready to step up, all year round, protecting the UK within its borders and influential overseas."
During December, the US military carried out what it termed a "major assault" targeting Islamic State objectives in the country, after an ambush killed two US troops and a civilian interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The U.N. estimates Islamic State still has an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 militants in Syria and Iraq.
