RAF Typhoon fighter aircraft have operated alongside French aircraft in a combined operation targeting an underground arms cache in Syria employed by the Islamic State group (IS), as stated by the UK Ministry of Defence.
The location, located using reconnaissance, was assessed as containing munitions and bombs, the statement said, and was situated in mountainous terrain just to the north of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"Our fighter planes utilized precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to target a number of access tunnels providing entry to the site... preliminary assessments suggest the objective was successfully hit," officials stated.
There was no indication of any harm to civilians in the attack late on Saturday and each participating jet returned to base without incident, the MoD added.
The Typhoon FGR4s were supported by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
IS - alternatively referred to as ISIS - imposed militant control over significant areas in Syria and Iraq until 2019.
"This operation demonstrates our UK leadership, and determination to operate in unison with our partners, to eradicate any revival of IS and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the Middle East," the British Defence Secretary the minister stated.
UK warplanes have performed overwatch operations over Syria to "prevent any attempted comeback" of the group after its defeat at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the ministry said.
"I extend gratitude to the personnel of the UK armed forces who took part in this strike for their expertise and their valour," he commented. "They were part of a great many UK service members on duty over the festive period. This mission, to eliminate dangerous terrorists who threaten our way of life, shows how our armed forces are ready to step up, continuously, keeping Britain secure within its borders and strong abroad."
During December, the United States armed forces carried out what it described as a "large-scale strike" on IS targets in Syria, subsequent to an attack resulted in the deaths of two US troops and a civilian linguist in Palmyra.
The U.N. estimates Islamic State still has between 5,000 and 7,000 combatants in Iraq and Syria.
