Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have joined forces with French aircraft in a joint strike against an underground arms cache in Syrian territory operated by the Islamic State group (IS), as stated by the UK Ministry of Defence.
The location, pinpointed through reconnaissance, was believed to be containing munitions and bombs, the statement said, and was positioned in hills just above the historic site of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our fighter planes employed precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to target a number of approach shafts leading to the site... early reports suggest the strike was effective," the MoD said.
There was no evidence of any harm to civilians in the attack conducted Saturday night and every plane involved made a safe return, the ministry further stated.
The British jets were backed up by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
The Islamic State group - alternatively referred to as Daesh - imposed militant control over parts of Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This action underscores our UK leadership, and determination to operate in unison with our allies, to eliminate any revival of the terrorist group and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the Middle East," UK Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary said.
RAF aircraft have conducted patrols over Syria to "prevent any efforts to regroup" of the group subsequent to its routing at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the authorities noted.
"I must thank the personnel of the UK armed forces who took part in this strike for their skill and their courage," the Defence Secretary said. "They were among a great many British troops stationed over the festive period. This action, to take out terrorist threats who endanger our safety, demonstrates how British military are prepared to act, continuously, ensuring Britain's security at home and influential overseas."
In December, the American forces conducted what it described as a "massive strike" targeting Daesh sites in Syria, after an ambush killed two US troops and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The United Nations estimates Islamic State still maintains an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 militants in Syria and Iraq.
