Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have joined forces with French aircraft in a combined operation targeting an underground arms cache in Syria used by the Islamic State group (IS), according to the UK's MoD.
The site, identified by intelligence, was believed to be containing munitions and bombs, the announcement noted, and was located in hills just to the north of the historic site of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our fighter planes employed laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to hit a several entry passages leading to the site... initial indications are that the target was engaged successfully," the MoD said.
There was no indication of any harm to civilians in the operation conducted Saturday night and every plane involved returned safely, the defence officials confirmed.
The Typhoon fighters were supported by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
The Islamic State group - referred to as ISIS - established militant control over large swathes of Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This strike underscores the UK's leading role, and resolve to stand shoulder to shoulder with allied nations, to stamp out any revival of Daesh and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the region," the British Defence Secretary John Healey said.
British military aircraft have performed patrols over Syria to "prevent any efforts to regroup" of IS subsequent to its military defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in the year 2019, the MoD reported.
"I extend gratitude to every member of the UK armed forces participating in this strike for their expertise and their valour," Healey commented. "They were among a great many UK service members on duty over the festive period. This operation, to take out dangerous terrorists who pose a risk to our security, shows how British military are prepared to act, all year round, protecting the UK within its borders and powerful internationally."
Last December, the United States armed forces conducted what it termed a "massive strike" against IS targets in the country, after an ambush claimed the lives of two US servicemembers and a civilian interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The UN says IS still has an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 combatants in both countries.
