British Air Force Typhoon jets have operated alongside France's air force in a coordinated attack targeting an underground arms cache in Syrian territory operated by the Islamic State group (IS), as stated by the UK Ministry of Defence.
The site, identified by surveillance, was assessed as storing arms and explosives, the announcement noted, and was situated in mountainous terrain just to the north of the historic site of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"Our aircraft employed precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to strike a number of entry passages down to the site... initial indications are that the strike was effective," officials stated.
There was no sign of any harm to civilians in the strike on Saturday evening and all the aircraft returned to base without incident, the MoD added.
The Typhoon fighters were supported by a Voyager tanker plane.
IS - also known as the so-called Islamic State - established extremist governance over large swathes of both Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This action shows British leadership, and determination to work closely with allied nations, to eradicate any re-emergence of the terrorist group and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the Middle East," UK Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary said.
RAF aircraft have performed overwatch operations over Syrian airspace to "prevent any efforts to regroup" of the group after its routing at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the ministry said.
"I extend gratitude to all the members of British forces participating in this mission for their skill and their courage," the Defence Secretary said. "They were part of numerous UK service members on duty over the festive period. This operation, to eliminate dangerous terrorists who pose a risk to our safety, demonstrates how UK forces are prepared to act, continuously, protecting the UK at home and influential overseas."
In December, the US military executed what it termed a "major assault" against Islamic State objectives in the country, following an ambush killed two American soldiers and a civilian interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The UN estimates Islamic State still maintains between 5,000 and 7,000 combatants in Syria and Iraq.
