RAF Typhoon FGR4s have conducted a mission with French aircraft in a coordinated attack on an subterranean weapons facility in Syria employed by the Islamic State group (IS), according to the UK's MoD.
The facility, identified by intelligence, was believed to be storing arms and explosives, the release indicated, and was positioned in hills just to the north of Palmyra in central Syria.
"The RAF jets used laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to hit a several approach shafts providing entry to the depot... preliminary assessments suggest the objective was successfully hit," officials stated.
There was no indication of any civilian casualties in the strike conducted Saturday night and all the aircraft returned to base without incident, the MoD added.
The Typhoon fighters were assisted by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
The Islamic State group - also known as the so-called Islamic State - enforced extremist governance over parts of Syria and Iraq until 2019.
"This operation shows the UK's leading role, and determination to operate in unison with allied nations, to stamp out any resurgence of IS and their violent and radical beliefs in the Middle East," the British Defence Secretary John Healey stated.
UK warplanes have conducted overwatch operations over Syrian airspace to "deter any attempted comeback" of IS following its military defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the authorities noted.
"I want to thank every member of British forces participating in this operation for their skill and their courage," the Defence Secretary commented. "They were part of thousands of British troops deployed over Christmas and New Year. This operation, to take out terrorist threats who threaten our way of life, highlights how British military are ready to step up, all year round, protecting the UK at home and powerful internationally."
During December, the American forces conducted what it called a "massive strike" targeting Daesh sites in the country, following an assault resulted in the deaths of two US troops and a civilian interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The United Nations says Islamic State still maintains an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 militants in Iraq and Syria.
