RAF Typhoon jets have conducted a mission with France's air force in a joint strike against an underground arms cache in Syrian territory employed by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the British defence ministry.
The location, located using surveillance, was thought to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the announcement noted, and was positioned in hills just north of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"The RAF jets utilized laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to target a number of approach shafts leading to the facility... early reports are that the objective was successfully hit," the MoD said.
There was no evidence of any harm to civilians in the operation on Saturday evening and every plane involved returned to base without incident, the MoD added.
The Typhoon fighters were backed up by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
IS - referred to as Daesh - imposed jihadist rule over parts of Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This action underscores British leadership, and resolve to operate in unison with our partners, to stamp out any re-emergence of Daesh and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the area," the British Defence Secretary the minister stated.
RAF aircraft have conducted patrols over Syrian airspace to "deter any attempted comeback" of IS after its routing at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the ministry said.
"I extend gratitude to all the members of British forces involved in this mission for their expertise and their courage," he said. "They were part of thousands of UK service members deployed over the holidays. This operation, to eliminate militants who threaten our security, demonstrates how our armed forces are ready to step up, continuously, protecting the UK domestically and influential overseas."
During December, the American forces conducted what it called a "massive strike" on IS targets in Syria, after an attack killed two US servicemembers and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The UN reports Islamic State still boasts between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters in both countries.
