RAF Typhoon FGR4s have conducted a mission with French warplanes in a coordinated attack on an underground arms cache in Syrian territory employed by the Islamic State group (IS), as stated by the British defence ministry.
The site, identified by intelligence, was believed to be storing arms and explosives, the release indicated, and was located in mountainous terrain just above the historic site of Palmyra in central Syria.
"The RAF jets utilized laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to hit a series of approach shafts down to the depot... preliminary assessments suggest the strike was effective," the ministry announced.
There was no sign of any civilian casualties in the attack late on Saturday and all the aircraft made a safe return, the defence officials confirmed.
The Typhoon FGR4s were assisted by a Voyager tanker plane.
IS - also known as Daesh - established extremist governance over large swathes of Iraq and Syria before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This strike demonstrates our UK leadership, and resolve to stand shoulder to shoulder with our allies, to eradicate any re-emergence of the terrorist group and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the Middle East," Britain's Defence Chief the Defence Secretary said.
RAF aircraft have performed patrols over Syrian airspace to "forestall any attempted resurgence" of IS following its military defeat at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the ministry said.
"I want to thank the personnel of our armed forces involved in this operation for their skill and their courage," he said. "They were part of numerous UK service members on duty over the festive period. This operation, to take out militants who endanger our security, demonstrates how British military are prepared to act, all year round, ensuring Britain's security within its borders and powerful internationally."
Last December, the American forces conducted what it called a "massive strike" targeting Daesh sites in Syria, after an attack claimed the lives of two US troops and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.
The U.N. reports Islamic State still maintains roughly 5-7 thousand militants in Syria and Iraq.
