RAF Typhoon fighter aircraft have joined forces with France's air force in a combined operation targeting an underground arms cache in Syrian territory used by the Daesh militant organization, per a report from the British defence ministry.
The location, pinpointed through surveillance, was assessed as housing weapons and explosive materials, the announcement noted, and was positioned in mountainous terrain just to the north of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"The RAF jets utilized laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to target a series of entry passages providing entry to the facility... early reports are that the objective was successfully hit," officials stated.
There was no sign of any harm to civilians in the strike conducted Saturday night and every plane involved returned to base without incident, the defence officials confirmed.
The Typhoon fighters were supported by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
Daesh - referred to as the so-called Islamic State - established extremist governance over parts of Iraq and Syria prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This action demonstrates our UK leadership, and determination to work closely with our partners, to eliminate any revival of the terrorist group and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the Middle East," Britain's Defence Chief John Healey stated.
RAF aircraft have conducted patrols over Syrian airspace to "deter any attempted comeback" of the group following its defeat at the battle of Baghuz in the year 2019, the authorities noted.
"I extend gratitude to every member of our armed forces who took part in this mission for their professionalism and their bravery," the Defence Secretary said. "They were part of a great many UK service members on duty over the festive period. This mission, to eliminate terrorist threats who threaten our security, shows how our armed forces are always on standby, throughout the year, ensuring Britain's security within its borders and strong abroad."
During December, the United States armed forces conducted what it termed a "massive strike" on Daesh sites in the country, subsequent to an attack claimed the lives of two American soldiers and a civilian linguist in the Palmyra area.
The U.N. estimates IS still maintains an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 combatants in Iraq and Syria.
