British Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have joined forces with France's air force in a joint strike against an underground arms cache in Syria used by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the UK's MoD.
The facility, identified by intelligence, was thought to be 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.
"Our aircraft utilized precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to strike a series of entry passages down to the facility... initial indications suggest the strike was effective," the ministry announced.
There was no sign of any civilian casualties in the strike on Saturday evening and every plane involved made a safe return, the MoD added.
The British jets were supported by a Voyager tanker plane.
IS - alternatively referred to as Daesh - imposed militant control over significant areas in both Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This strike underscores the UK's leading role, and commitment to work closely with allied nations, to stamp out any revival of IS and their violent and radical beliefs in the Middle East," UK Defence Secretary the minister stated.
UK warplanes have conducted surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "prevent any efforts to regroup" of the group following its routing at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the ministry said.
"I extend gratitude to every member of the UK armed forces involved in this strike for their expertise and their valour," the Defence Secretary commented. "Including them were a great many UK service members on duty over Christmas and New Year. This operation, to take out terrorist threats who pose a risk to our way of life, highlights how British military are ready to step up, all year round, keeping Britain secure at home and strong abroad."
Last December, the American forces conducted what it termed a "major assault" on Daesh sites in Syria, after an assault claimed the lives of two US servicemembers and a local interpreter in Palmyra.
The United Nations estimates IS still maintains an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 fighters in both countries.
