British Air Force Typhoon jets have joined forces with French aircraft in a joint strike targeting an underground arms cache in Syrian territory used by the Islamic State group (IS), according to the UK's MoD.
The location, pinpointed through reconnaissance, was believed to be storing arms and explosives, the release indicated, and was positioned in hills just north of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"Our aircraft used laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to hit a several access tunnels providing entry to the site... initial indications suggest the objective was successfully hit," the ministry announced.
There was no sign of any civilian casualties in the attack late on Saturday and every plane involved returned safely, the defence officials confirmed.
The Typhoon FGR4s were supported by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
IS - referred to as the so-called Islamic State - established extremist governance over large swathes of Iraq and Syria until 2019.
"This operation underscores the UK's leading role, and resolve to stand shoulder to shoulder with our partners, to eliminate any re-emergence of Daesh and their violent and radical beliefs in the Middle East," the British Defence Secretary John Healey remarked.
British military aircraft have conducted patrols over Syrian airspace to "deter any attempted resurgence" of IS subsequent to its routing at the climactic battle in Baghuz in the year 2019, the MoD reported.
"I want to thank the personnel of our armed forces involved in this mission for their skill and their courage," he commented. "They were among numerous British troops deployed over the holidays. This mission, to take out dangerous terrorists who endanger our way of life, demonstrates how British military are always on standby, all year round, keeping Britain secure within its borders and strong abroad."
In December, the American forces executed what it termed a "massive strike" against Daesh sites in Syria, after an attack killed two US troops and a civilian linguist in Palmyra.
The United Nations estimates IS still boasts an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 combatants in Iraq and Syria.
