Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have joined forces with French aircraft in a joint strike targeting an underground arms cache in Syrian territory operated by the Daesh militant organization, according to the British defence ministry.
The site, pinpointed through intelligence, was assessed as storing arms and explosives, the statement said, and was positioned in mountains just to the north of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our aircraft utilized precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to strike a several access tunnels leading to the depot... initial indications suggest the target was engaged successfully," the ministry announced.
There was no sign of any harm to civilians in the operation late on Saturday and every plane involved returned to base without incident, the MoD added.
The British jets were assisted by a Voyager tanker plane.
Daesh - referred to as ISIS - enforced militant control over significant areas in Iraq and Syria before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This action shows our UK leadership, and resolve to work closely with our partners, 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.
British military aircraft have conducted surveillance missions over Syria to "deter any efforts to regroup" of Islamic State following its military defeat at the battle of Baghuz in the year 2019, the authorities noted.
"I want to thank all the members of the UK armed forces who took part in this mission for their skill and their bravery," the Defence Secretary added. "They were among a great many British personnel deployed over the festive period. This action, to take out terrorist threats who threaten our safety, shows how our armed forces are prepared to act, throughout the year, protecting the UK at home and influential overseas."
During December, the US military conducted what it described as a "large-scale strike" targeting Islamic State objectives in the country, following an assault resulted in the deaths of two American soldiers and a civilian linguist in the Palmyra area.
The United Nations says Islamic State still maintains between 5,000 and 7,000 militants in Syria and Iraq.
