RAF Typhoon jets have joined forces with France's air force in a joint strike targeting an underground arms cache in Syrian territory used by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the UK's MoD.
The facility, pinpointed through surveillance, was thought to be containing munitions and bombs, the announcement noted, and was located in hills just north of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our fighter planes employed laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to target a number of approach shafts down to the depot... early reports are that the objective was successfully hit," the MoD said.
There was no evidence of any civilian casualties in the strike conducted Saturday night and every plane involved returned safely, the defence officials confirmed.
The Typhoon FGR4s were backed up by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
The Islamic State group - alternatively referred to as Daesh - established jihadist rule over parts of Syria and Iraq until 2019.
"This operation shows our UK leadership, and determination to work closely with our allies, to eradicate any revival of IS and their violent and radical beliefs in the region," Britain's Defence Chief John Healey said.
British military aircraft have performed surveillance missions over Syria to "prevent any efforts to regroup" of IS subsequent to its routing at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I must thank the personnel of British forces involved in this mission for their professionalism and their bravery," Healey commented. "They were among a great many British personnel stationed over Christmas and New Year. This mission, to take out militants who endanger our security, demonstrates how our armed forces are prepared to act, all year round, protecting the UK domestically and powerful internationally."
In December, the United States armed forces conducted what it described as a "large-scale strike" against Islamic State objectives in the country, after an assault claimed the lives of two US troops and a civilian interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The UN estimates IS still has roughly 5-7 thousand combatants in both countries.
