RAF Typhoon FGR4s have joined forces with French warplanes in a joint strike on an subterranean weapons facility in Syrian territory employed by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the British defence ministry.
The site, located using surveillance, was assessed as storing arms and explosives, the release indicated, and was situated in hills just above the historic site of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"The RAF jets employed laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to target a series of access tunnels leading to the facility... initial indications suggest the target was engaged successfully," officials stated.
There was no indication of any civilian impact in the strike on Saturday evening and all the aircraft made a safe return, the defence officials confirmed.
The British jets were supported by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
IS - also known as Daesh - imposed militant control over significant areas in both Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This action shows British leadership, and commitment to work closely with our allies, to eradicate any revival of Daesh and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the Middle East," the British Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary said.
UK warplanes have performed overwatch operations over Syrian airspace to "prevent any attempted resurgence" of the group after its military defeat at the battle of Baghuz in the year 2019, the ministry said.
"I must thank the personnel of the UK armed forces who took part in this operation for their professionalism and their valour," he added. "Including them were thousands of British personnel deployed over the holidays. This mission, to take out dangerous terrorists who threaten our way of life, highlights how British military are always on standby, continuously, protecting the UK at home and strong abroad."
In December, the US military carried out what it termed a "massive strike" on IS targets in Syria, subsequent to an attack claimed the lives of two US troops and a local interpreter in Palmyra.
The United Nations estimates IS still boasts an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 fighters in Iraq and Syria.
