Royal Air Force Typhoon jets have operated alongside French warplanes in a coordinated attack targeting an underground arms cache in Syrian territory employed by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the UK's MoD.
The facility, identified by surveillance, was thought to be storing arms and explosives, the announcement noted, and was located in mountainous terrain just north of the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria.
"The RAF jets employed Paveway IV guided bombs to target a series of approach shafts down to the site... preliminary assessments are that the strike was effective," the ministry announced.
There was no sign of any civilian impact in the strike late on Saturday and all the aircraft made a safe return, the MoD added.
The Typhoon fighters were assisted by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
Daesh - referred to as ISIS - established extremist governance over parts of Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This operation demonstrates British leadership, and determination to work closely with our partners, to eradicate any revival of Daesh and their violent and radical beliefs in the Middle East," the British Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary stated.
British military aircraft have conducted surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "deter any efforts to regroup" of IS following its defeat at the battle of Baghuz in the year 2019, the authorities noted.
"I extend gratitude to every member of the UK armed forces involved in this strike for their expertise and their bravery," Healey added. "They were among numerous UK service members stationed over the holidays. This operation, to eliminate militants who endanger our security, shows how our armed forces are ready to step up, continuously, keeping Britain secure within its borders and influential overseas."
During December, the US military executed what it described as a "massive strike" targeting Daesh sites in Syria, after an attack claimed the lives of two US servicemembers and a local interpreter in Palmyra.
The U.N. estimates Daesh still has between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters in Syria and Iraq.
