Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have operated alongside French warplanes in a combined operation targeting an underground arms cache in Syrian territory employed by the Islamic State group (IS), according to the British defence ministry.
The facility, pinpointed through reconnaissance, was assessed as storing arms and explosives, the announcement noted, and was situated in hills just north of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"The RAF jets employed precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to hit a number of approach shafts down to the facility... initial indications are that the target was engaged successfully," officials stated.
There was no evidence of any harm to civilians in the operation conducted Saturday night and every plane involved returned safely, the MoD added.
The Typhoon fighters were supported by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
Daesh - alternatively referred to as ISIS - enforced militant control over large swathes of Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This action demonstrates our UK leadership, and determination to stand shoulder to shoulder with our allies, to stamp out any resurgence of the terrorist group and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the area," the British Defence Secretary the minister stated.
British military aircraft have performed overwatch operations over Syrian airspace to "deter any attempted comeback" of the group subsequent to its routing at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I extend gratitude to the personnel of British forces participating in this strike for their professionalism and their bravery," the Defence Secretary said. "They were part of thousands of British personnel on duty over the holidays. This action, to remove dangerous terrorists who endanger our way of life, demonstrates how our armed forces are prepared to act, throughout the year, protecting the UK at home and strong abroad."
Last December, the US military conducted what it termed a "large-scale strike" against Islamic State objectives in Syria, after an assault killed two US servicemembers and a local interpreter in Palmyra.
The UN says Islamic State still boasts between 5,000 and 7,000 combatants in Syria and Iraq.
