British Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have operated alongside French warplanes in a joint strike against an underground arms cache in Syrian territory used by the Daesh militant organization, per a report from the British defence ministry.
The location, identified by surveillance, was believed to be containing munitions and bombs, the statement said, and was positioned in mountains just to the north of the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our aircraft employed precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to strike a several approach shafts down to the site... initial indications suggest the objective was successfully hit," officials stated.
There was no evidence of any civilian casualties in the operation conducted Saturday night and each participating jet returned to base without incident, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon fighters were assisted by a Voyager tanker plane.
The Islamic State group - alternatively referred to as Daesh - enforced extremist governance over significant areas in both Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This operation demonstrates the UK's leading role, and determination to work closely with our allies, to stamp out any re-emergence of the terrorist group and their violent and radical beliefs in the Middle East," Britain's Defence Chief John Healey remarked.
UK warplanes have performed overwatch operations over Syria to "prevent any attempted resurgence" of the group after its defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I must thank the personnel of our armed forces involved in this strike for their expertise and their valour," he added. "Including them were numerous British troops stationed over the festive period. This operation, to remove terrorist threats who endanger our way of life, highlights how our armed forces are always on standby, throughout the year, ensuring Britain's security within its borders and powerful internationally."
In December, the US military carried out what it described as a "large-scale strike" targeting Islamic State objectives in Syria, following an assault claimed the lives of two US troops and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.
The UN says Islamic State still has roughly 5-7 thousand fighters in Syria and Iraq.
