Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have operated alongside France's air force in a coordinated attack targeting an underground arms cache in Syria employed by the Daesh militant organization, according to the UK Ministry of Defence.
The facility, identified by intelligence, was believed to be containing munitions and bombs, the release indicated, and was situated in hills just to the north of the historic site of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"Our fighter planes used Paveway IV guided bombs to target a several entry passages leading to the site... preliminary assessments suggest the strike was effective," the MoD said.
There was no sign of any civilian casualties in the strike on Saturday evening and each participating jet returned safely, the defence officials confirmed.
The British jets were supported by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
Daesh - referred to as Daesh - enforced militant control over significant areas in Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This operation shows British leadership, and commitment to stand shoulder to shoulder with our allies, to eliminate any re-emergence of the terrorist group and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the region," Britain's Defence Chief John Healey remarked.
RAF aircraft have performed overwatch operations over Syria to "prevent any efforts to regroup" of the group after its military defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the ministry said.
"I must thank every member of the UK armed forces involved in this mission for their professionalism and their valour," he added. "Including them were a great many British troops stationed over the holidays. This action, to take out dangerous terrorists who pose a risk to our way of life, highlights how our armed forces are ready to step up, throughout the year, ensuring Britain's security within its borders and influential overseas."
In December, the US military carried out what it described as a "large-scale strike" targeting Daesh sites in Syria, subsequent to an ambush claimed the lives of two American soldiers and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.
The U.N. estimates IS still has an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 combatants in Syria and Iraq.
