British Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have operated alongside France's air force in a joint strike on an underground arms cache in Syrian territory used by the Daesh militant organization, per a report from the UK's MoD.
The facility, pinpointed through reconnaissance, was thought to be containing munitions and bombs, the statement said, and was situated in mountainous terrain just above Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"The RAF jets employed Paveway IV guided bombs to hit a series of entry passages leading to the site... preliminary assessments are that the objective was successfully hit," the MoD said.
There was no evidence of any harm to civilians in the attack conducted Saturday night and all the aircraft returned safely, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon FGR4s were assisted by a Voyager tanker plane.
IS - referred to as Daesh - enforced jihadist rule over parts of both Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This strike shows British leadership, and resolve to operate in unison with our allies, to stamp out any resurgence of the terrorist group and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the Middle East," the British Defence Secretary John Healey stated.
British military aircraft have carried out surveillance missions over Syria to "deter any attempted resurgence" of the group following its military defeat at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the ministry said.
"I must thank the personnel of the UK armed forces participating in this strike for their skill and their bravery," Healey added. "They were among a great many British troops on duty over Christmas and New Year. This operation, to take out dangerous terrorists who threaten our security, shows how UK forces are prepared to act, all year round, keeping Britain secure at home and powerful internationally."
During December, the American forces conducted what it termed a "major assault" against IS targets in Syria, after an ambush resulted in the deaths of two American soldiers and a civilian linguist in Palmyra.
The U.N. says Daesh still maintains an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 fighters in Syria and Iraq.
