RAF Typhoon fighter aircraft have joined forces with France's air force in a coordinated attack against an underground arms cache in Syrian territory operated by the Islamic State group (IS), according to the UK Ministry of Defence.
The facility, identified by reconnaissance, was believed to be storing arms and explosives, the statement said, and was situated in hills just north of Palmyra in central Syria.
"The RAF jets utilized precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to target a number of entry passages providing entry to the depot... initial indications suggest the strike was effective," officials stated.
There was no indication of any civilian casualties in the operation on Saturday evening and every plane involved returned safely, the MoD added.
The Typhoon FGR4s were backed up by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
Daesh - alternatively referred to as Daesh - established extremist governance over significant areas in both Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This action shows the UK's leading role, and resolve to stand shoulder to shoulder with our allies, to stamp out any resurgence of the terrorist group and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the region," UK Defence Secretary John Healey stated.
British military aircraft have performed surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "forestall any efforts to regroup" of IS following its defeat at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I want to thank all the members of British forces participating in this strike for their skill and their bravery," he commented. "They were among a great many British personnel deployed over the festive period. This operation, to eliminate dangerous terrorists who endanger our safety, highlights how our armed forces are always on standby, throughout the year, protecting the UK within its borders and strong abroad."
During December, the United States armed forces executed what it described as a "massive strike" on Daesh sites in the country, subsequent to an assault resulted in the deaths of two US servicemembers and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The U.N. says Islamic State still maintains an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 combatants in Iraq and Syria.
