Royal Air Force Typhoon jets have operated alongside French warplanes in a coordinated attack on an underground arms cache in Syria operated by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the UK Ministry of Defence.
The site, identified by intelligence, was assessed as housing weapons and explosive materials, the announcement noted, and was located in hills just above the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"The RAF jets used laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to strike a several entry passages providing entry to the facility... early reports suggest the target was engaged successfully," the ministry announced.
There was no evidence of any civilian impact in the strike conducted Saturday night and every plane involved made a safe return, the defence officials confirmed.
The Typhoon FGR4s were backed up by a Voyager tanker plane.
IS - alternatively referred to as the so-called Islamic State - established extremist governance over parts of Iraq and Syria until 2019.
"This action underscores British leadership, and resolve to work closely with our partners, to stamp out any re-emergence of IS and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the area," Britain's Defence Chief the minister said.
British military aircraft have conducted surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "forestall any efforts to regroup" of the group following its routing at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I want to thank every member of our armed forces who took part in this strike for their expertise and their valour," he added. "Including them were thousands of British troops deployed over the holidays. This operation, to remove militants who endanger our safety, highlights how British military are ready to step up, all year round, protecting the UK domestically and influential overseas."
In December, the US military conducted what it termed a "massive strike" on Islamic State objectives in Syria, after an ambush killed two US servicemembers and a civilian linguist in Palmyra.
The UN says Islamic State still has an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 militants in both countries.
