Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have joined forces with France's air force in a combined operation against an underground arms cache in Syrian territory used by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the UK Ministry of Defence.
The facility, located using reconnaissance, was thought to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the statement said, and was situated in hills just above the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our fighter planes used precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to hit a number of access tunnels providing entry to the facility... initial indications suggest the target was engaged successfully," the MoD said.
There was no evidence of any civilian casualties in the strike conducted Saturday night and all the aircraft made a safe return, the defence officials confirmed.
The Typhoon FGR4s were supported by a Voyager tanker plane.
The Islamic State group - also known as Daesh - enforced militant control over large swathes of Syria and Iraq until 2019.
"This action demonstrates the UK's leading role, and commitment to stand shoulder to shoulder with our partners, to stamp out any revival of the terrorist group and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the region," the British Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary stated.
RAF aircraft have conducted patrols over Syria to "forestall any attempted resurgence" of Islamic State following its defeat at the battle of Baghuz in the year 2019, the authorities noted.
"I want to thank all the members of British forces who took part in this mission for their expertise and their courage," Healey commented. "Including them were a great many British personnel stationed over the festive period. This operation, to take out militants who endanger our safety, highlights how British military are ready to step up, throughout the year, protecting the UK domestically and strong abroad."
Last December, the United States armed forces carried out what it described as a "major assault" targeting Daesh sites in Syria, after an attack claimed the lives of two American soldiers and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The UN estimates Islamic State still maintains roughly 5-7 thousand militants in Iraq and Syria.
