British Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have operated alongside French aircraft in a joint strike against an underground arms cache in Syria employed by the IS group, per a report from the UK Ministry of Defence.
The facility, identified by surveillance, was believed to be containing munitions and bombs, the statement said, and was located in mountainous terrain just to the north of the historic site of Palmyra in central Syria.
"The RAF jets utilized precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to hit a number of approach shafts down to the depot... preliminary assessments are that the target was engaged successfully," the MoD said.
There was no evidence of any civilian impact in the operation conducted Saturday night and all the aircraft returned safely, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon fighters were supported by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
Daesh - alternatively referred to as the so-called Islamic State - imposed extremist governance over parts of Iraq and Syria prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This operation demonstrates our UK leadership, and resolve to operate in unison with allied nations, to eliminate any re-emergence of Daesh and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the area," UK Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary said.
RAF aircraft have conducted patrols over Syrian airspace to "forestall any attempted comeback" of Islamic State following its military defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I must thank all the members of the UK armed forces involved in this operation for their expertise and their valour," he commented. "They were part of thousands of British personnel deployed over the holidays. This action, to take out dangerous terrorists who threaten our safety, demonstrates how UK forces are always on standby, continuously, keeping Britain secure at home and powerful internationally."
In December, the United States armed forces executed what it described as a "major assault" targeting Daesh sites in the country, after an ambush claimed the lives of two US servicemembers and a civilian interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The U.N. reports Daesh still maintains roughly 5-7 thousand fighters in Syria and Iraq.
