RAF Typhoon FGR4s have joined forces with French aircraft in a coordinated attack on an underground arms cache in Syria operated by the Islamic State group (IS), as stated by the British defence ministry.
The facility, located using intelligence, was thought to be containing munitions and bombs, the release indicated, and was positioned in mountains just above the historic site of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"Our aircraft used Paveway IV guided bombs to target a series of access tunnels providing entry to the depot... initial indications are that the target was engaged successfully," the ministry announced.
There was no sign of any civilian impact in the strike conducted Saturday night and every plane involved returned to base without incident, the defence officials confirmed.
The Typhoon fighters were assisted by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
IS - alternatively referred to as Daesh - enforced jihadist rule over large swathes of both Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This operation demonstrates our UK leadership, and determination to stand shoulder to shoulder with our allies, to eliminate any resurgence of Daesh and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the area," Britain's Defence Chief John Healey said.
UK warplanes have carried out surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "forestall any attempted comeback" of the group after its routing at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the authorities noted.
"I extend gratitude to all the members of the UK armed forces who took part in this strike for their professionalism and their courage," the Defence Secretary said. "Including them were numerous British troops deployed over the festive period. This action, to eliminate dangerous terrorists who threaten our security, shows how British military are ready to step up, throughout the year, protecting the UK at home and influential overseas."
Last December, the United States armed forces executed what it described as a "large-scale strike" targeting IS targets in the country, after an attack claimed the lives of two American soldiers and a civilian linguist in the Palmyra area.
The U.N. says Islamic State still maintains roughly 5-7 thousand combatants in Iraq and Syria.
