RAF Typhoon FGR4s have joined forces with France's air force in a joint strike targeting an underground arms cache in Syria operated by the Islamic State group (IS), according to the UK Ministry of Defence.
The facility, identified by surveillance, was believed to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the release indicated, and was positioned in mountains just north of the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our aircraft utilized Paveway IV guided bombs to strike a number of access tunnels providing entry to the site... early reports are that the strike was effective," officials stated.
There was no sign of any civilian casualties in the strike conducted Saturday night and all the aircraft made a safe return, the defence officials confirmed.
The British jets were supported by a Voyager tanker plane.
IS - also known as Daesh - established extremist governance over large swathes of Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This action shows British leadership, and commitment to work closely with allied nations, to eliminate any resurgence of IS and their violent and radical beliefs in the area," UK Defence Secretary John Healey said.
British military aircraft have performed patrols over Syria to "prevent any attempted resurgence" of IS following its defeat at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the ministry said.
"I extend gratitude to every member of British forces involved in this mission for their skill and their courage," the Defence Secretary added. "Including them were a great many British troops deployed over the festive period. This mission, to take out terrorist threats who threaten our way of life, highlights how our armed forces are always on standby, continuously, ensuring Britain's security domestically and influential overseas."
During December, the United States armed forces carried out what it called a "major assault" targeting Daesh sites in Syria, subsequent to an assault claimed the lives of two American soldiers and a civilian interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The UN estimates IS still maintains roughly 5-7 thousand militants in Iraq and Syria.
