British Air Force Typhoon jets have operated alongside French aircraft in a joint strike against an underground arms cache in Syria used by the Islamic State group (IS), according to the UK's MoD.
The facility, pinpointed through intelligence, was assessed as housing weapons and explosive materials, the release indicated, and was situated in hills just above the historic site of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"The RAF jets utilized laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to target a series of access tunnels leading to the facility... preliminary assessments are that the target was engaged successfully," the MoD said.
There was no evidence of any civilian impact in the strike late on Saturday and all the aircraft returned to base without incident, the ministry further stated.
The British jets were supported by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
The Islamic State group - referred to as Daesh - established jihadist rule over large swathes of Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This strike demonstrates our UK leadership, and determination to work closely with allied nations, to eradicate any re-emergence of IS and their violent and radical beliefs in the area," Britain's Defence Chief the minister remarked.
RAF aircraft have conducted overwatch operations over Syria to "deter any attempted comeback" of the group subsequent to its military defeat at the battle of Baghuz in the year 2019, the authorities noted.
"I must thank all the members of our armed forces who took part in this mission for their skill and their courage," he added. "They were part of thousands of British troops stationed over Christmas and New Year. This action, to take out dangerous terrorists who pose a risk to our security, shows how UK forces are always on standby, all year round, ensuring Britain's security at home and strong abroad."
In December, the American forces conducted what it described as a "large-scale strike" on Daesh sites in Syria, subsequent to an attack resulted in the deaths of two US servicemembers and a civilian linguist in the Palmyra area.
The U.N. reports Daesh still has between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters in both countries.
