Royal Air Force Typhoon jets have joined French aircraft in a joint strike on an underground arms cache in Syria used by the Islamic State group (IS), the UK Ministry of Defence says.
Careful intelligence analysis led officials to believe the facility was storing arms and explosives, the statement said, and was in mountains just north of Palmyra, an ancient site in central Syria.
Our aircraft used Paveway IV guided bombs to target a number of access tunnels down to the facility... initial indications are that the target was engaged successfully, the MoD said.
There was no sign of any harm to civilians in the strike late on Saturday and all the aircraft returned safely, the MoD added.
Detailed assessment of the strikes is under way but officials believe the target was engaged successfully. The Typhoon FGR4s were supported by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
IS imposed jihadist rule over parts of Syria and Iraq until 2019. This action shows our UK leadership, and determination to stand shoulder to shoulder with our allies, to stamp out any resurgence of Daesh and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the Middle East, UK Defence Secretary John Healey said.
RAF aircraft have carried out patrols over Syria to prevent any attempted resurgence of IS following its defeat at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the ministry said.
The United Nations says IS still has between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters in Syria and Iraq. In November, Syria became the 90th country to join a US-led coalition to combat the group.
The coalition aims to eliminate remaining elements of the so-called Islamic State and stem the flow of foreign militants to the Middle East. Last month, the US military carried out a major strike against IS targets in Syria following an ambush that killed two American soldiers and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.
