RAF Typhoon FGR4s have conducted a mission with French aircraft in a coordinated attack against an underground arms cache in Syrian territory operated by the Daesh militant organization, per a report from the UK's MoD.
The facility, pinpointed through surveillance, was thought to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the statement said, and was located in hills just to the north of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"The RAF jets employed Paveway IV guided bombs to strike a number of approach shafts down to the depot... initial indications indicate the objective was successfully hit," officials stated.
There was no indication of any civilian impact in the attack late on Saturday and all the aircraft made a safe return, the MoD added.
The Typhoon FGR4s were supported by a Voyager tanker plane.
The Islamic State group - referred to as the so-called Islamic State - established militant control over significant areas in both Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This action shows 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 Middle East," UK Defence Secretary the minister remarked.
UK warplanes have conducted surveillance missions over Syria to "forestall any efforts to regroup" of Islamic State following its defeat at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the authorities noted.
"I extend gratitude to every member of our armed forces participating in this mission for their professionalism and their bravery," the Defence Secretary commented. "Including them were a great many British personnel on duty over Christmas and New Year. This action, to take out terrorist threats who endanger our way of life, shows how our armed forces are prepared to act, all year round, keeping Britain secure at home and influential overseas."
In December, the United States armed forces conducted what it called a "large-scale strike" against Islamic State objectives in Syria, after an attack resulted in the deaths of two US servicemembers and a civilian linguist in Palmyra.
The UN says Daesh still boasts between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters in both countries.
