RAF Typhoon FGR4s have conducted a mission with France's air force in a combined operation on an underground arms cache in Syria employed by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the British defence ministry.
The location, pinpointed through intelligence, was thought to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the release indicated, and was located in hills just north of Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our aircraft utilized Paveway IV guided bombs to hit a series of approach shafts down to the site... initial indications are that the strike was effective," officials stated.
There was no evidence of any harm to civilians in the operation on Saturday evening and all the aircraft returned safely, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon FGR4s were assisted by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
Daesh - referred to as the so-called Islamic State - imposed jihadist rule over large swathes of Iraq and Syria before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This operation demonstrates the UK's leading role, and determination to operate in unison with our allies, to eliminate any revival of the terrorist group and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the area," the British Defence Secretary John Healey stated.
UK warplanes have performed overwatch operations over Syria to "prevent any attempted resurgence" of IS after its defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in the year 2019, the MoD reported.
"I must thank all the members of our armed forces participating in this strike for their expertise and their valour," the Defence Secretary said. "Including them were a great many British troops deployed over the holidays. This mission, to eliminate militants who endanger our security, demonstrates how UK forces are always on standby, throughout the year, keeping Britain secure within its borders and influential overseas."
During December, the US military carried out what it called a "large-scale strike" against Daesh sites in Syria, subsequent to an assault killed two US servicemembers and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.
The United Nations says IS still has roughly 5-7 thousand combatants in both countries.
