RAF Typhoon FGR4s have conducted a mission with French warplanes in a coordinated attack against an underground arms cache in Syria employed by the Islamic State group (IS), according to the UK Ministry of Defence.
The facility, pinpointed through intelligence, was assessed as containing munitions and bombs, the release indicated, and was located in mountainous terrain just above Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"Our aircraft employed precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to hit a number of entry passages providing entry to the site... preliminary assessments are that the target was engaged successfully," officials stated.
There was no indication of any civilian impact in the attack on Saturday evening and all the aircraft made a safe return, the MoD added.
The Typhoon FGR4s were backed up by a Voyager tanker plane.
The Islamic State group - also known as ISIS - imposed jihadist rule over significant areas in Iraq and Syria prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This strike underscores the UK's leading role, and commitment to operate in unison with our partners, to eradicate any revival of the terrorist group and their violent and radical beliefs in the region," Britain's Defence Chief the Defence Secretary said.
British military aircraft have performed surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "prevent any efforts to regroup" of the group following its military defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the ministry said.
"I must thank the personnel of our armed forces participating in this strike for their professionalism and their bravery," Healey said. "They were among a great many British troops on duty over the festive period. This operation, to remove terrorist threats who pose a risk to our way of life, shows how UK forces are always on standby, throughout the year, keeping Britain secure domestically and powerful internationally."
During December, the United States armed forces executed what it termed a "major assault" against IS targets in Syria, following an attack resulted in the deaths of two American soldiers and a civilian interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The UN reports Islamic State still maintains an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 combatants in Iraq and Syria.
