Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have joined forces with French warplanes in a joint strike targeting an underground arms cache in Syria used by the IS group, as stated by the UK Ministry of Defence.
The facility, pinpointed through surveillance, was believed to be containing munitions and bombs, the release indicated, and was situated in hills just to the north of the ancient city of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"Our aircraft utilized laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to hit a number of approach shafts leading to the depot... early reports are that the strike was effective," the MoD said.
There was no indication of any civilian casualties in the operation conducted Saturday night and every plane involved returned to base without incident, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon fighters were backed up by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
IS - referred to as the so-called Islamic State - enforced jihadist rule over large swathes of Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This strike underscores British leadership, and determination to operate in unison with allied nations, to eliminate any re-emergence of the terrorist group and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the Middle East," UK Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary stated.
UK warplanes have performed surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "deter any attempted comeback" of the group following its defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the ministry said.
"I want to thank all the members of the UK armed forces participating in this mission for their expertise and their valour," Healey said. "Including them were thousands of UK service members stationed over the festive period. This operation, to remove militants who endanger our safety, demonstrates how UK forces are ready to step up, all year round, ensuring Britain's security at home and strong abroad."
Last December, the US military conducted what it called a "major assault" on Islamic State objectives in the country, after an attack killed two American soldiers and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.
The UN says IS still boasts between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters in Syria and Iraq.
