RAF Typhoon jets have joined forces with France's air force in a joint strike on an underground arms cache in Syria operated by the Daesh militant organization, according to the UK Ministry of Defence.
The site, pinpointed through surveillance, was thought to be containing munitions and bombs, the release indicated, and was positioned in mountains just above the ancient city of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"Our fighter planes utilized Paveway IV guided bombs to hit a number of access tunnels down to the facility... preliminary assessments indicate the strike was effective," the MoD said.
There was no evidence of any harm to civilians in the attack late on Saturday and every plane involved returned to base without incident, the MoD added.
The Typhoon FGR4s were assisted by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
Daesh - referred to as Daesh - established militant control over significant areas in both Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This operation underscores the UK's leading role, and commitment to work closely with our partners, to stamp out any re-emergence of Daesh and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the Middle East," Britain's Defence Chief John Healey remarked.
British military aircraft have carried out surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "deter any efforts to regroup" of the group subsequent to its routing at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I extend gratitude to all the members of our armed forces involved in this mission for their expertise and their valour," he commented. "They were part of thousands of UK service members on duty over the festive period. This action, to eliminate terrorist threats who threaten our safety, highlights how UK forces are prepared to act, all year round, keeping Britain secure within its borders and strong abroad."
Last December, the US military executed what it described as a "massive strike" on Islamic State objectives in the country, following an assault resulted in the deaths of two American soldiers and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The U.N. reports IS still maintains between 5,000 and 7,000 combatants in both countries.
