RAF Typhoon FGR4s have conducted a mission with French aircraft in a combined operation against an underground arms cache in Syria used by the Islamic State group (IS), as stated by the UK's MoD.
The site, identified by reconnaissance, was assessed as containing munitions and bombs, the release indicated, and was positioned in mountainous terrain just north of the ancient city of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"Our fighter planes employed precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to strike a number of access tunnels down to the facility... early reports indicate the target was engaged successfully," officials stated.
There was no indication of any harm to civilians in the operation late on Saturday and each participating jet made a safe return, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon FGR4s were backed up by a Voyager tanker plane.
IS - referred to as Daesh - imposed extremist governance over parts of both Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This operation shows British leadership, and commitment to operate in unison with our partners, to stamp out any re-emergence of IS and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the region," UK Defence Secretary John Healey remarked.
RAF aircraft have conducted overwatch operations over Syrian airspace to "forestall any efforts to regroup" of the group subsequent to its military defeat at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I must thank the personnel of British forces participating in this strike for their skill and their valour," the Defence Secretary commented. "Including them were thousands of British troops stationed over the festive period. This mission, to remove dangerous terrorists who pose a risk to our safety, highlights how our armed forces are ready to step up, all year round, ensuring Britain's security domestically and influential overseas."
Last December, the US military executed what it termed a "major assault" on IS targets in the country, after an ambush killed two US servicemembers and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.
The U.N. says IS still boasts roughly 5-7 thousand combatants in both countries.
