British Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have joined forces with French warplanes in a combined operation on an underground arms cache in Syria operated by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the UK's MoD.
The facility, identified by surveillance, was assessed as containing munitions and bombs, the statement said, and was situated in mountains just to the north of the historic site of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"The RAF jets utilized Paveway IV guided bombs to hit a series of approach shafts providing entry to the facility... initial indications suggest the objective was successfully hit," officials stated.
There was no indication 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 refuelling tanker.
IS - referred to as Daesh - imposed militant control over parts of Iraq and Syria prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This strike underscores British leadership, and resolve to work closely with our allies, to stamp out any re-emergence of Daesh and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the region," UK Defence Secretary John Healey stated.
RAF aircraft have conducted patrols over Syrian airspace to "prevent any attempted resurgence" of IS after its military defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I must thank the personnel of the UK armed forces involved in this operation for their expertise and their valour," the Defence Secretary said. "They were part of thousands of UK service members deployed over the holidays. This action, to remove dangerous terrorists who pose a risk to our way of life, demonstrates how our armed forces are prepared to act, throughout the year, ensuring Britain's security within its borders and powerful internationally."
During December, the United States armed forces conducted what it termed a "major assault" on IS targets in the country, after an ambush claimed the lives of two American soldiers and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The U.N. says Islamic State still boasts between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters in both countries.
