RAF Typhoon FGR4s have operated alongside French warplanes in a coordinated attack against an underground arms cache in Syrian territory employed by the Daesh militant organization, as stated by the British defence ministry.
The site, pinpointed through surveillance, was believed to be storing arms and explosives, the announcement noted, and was situated in mountains just to the north of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our fighter planes utilized laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to hit a series of entry passages down to the facility... preliminary assessments are that the strike was effective," officials stated.
There was no sign of any civilian impact in the operation late on Saturday and all the aircraft returned to base without incident, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon fighters were supported by a Voyager tanker plane.
The Islamic State group - also known as the so-called Islamic State - established militant control over large swathes of Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This strike underscores the UK's leading role, and determination to operate in unison with allied nations, to stamp out any revival of Daesh and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the Middle East," the British Defence Secretary the minister stated.
British military aircraft have conducted surveillance missions over Syria to "deter any attempted resurgence" of the group following its routing at the battle of Baghuz in the year 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 bravery," the Defence Secretary commented. "Including them were a great many British troops on duty over the festive period. This action, to take out terrorist threats who threaten our safety, highlights how UK forces are ready to step up, throughout the year, ensuring Britain's security domestically and influential overseas."
In December, the American forces conducted what it called a "massive strike" targeting IS targets in the country, following an attack claimed the lives of two US servicemembers and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The UN reports Daesh still has an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 combatants in both countries.
