British Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have operated alongside French warplanes in a combined operation on an underground arms cache in Syria operated by the Islamic State group (IS), as stated by the UK's MoD.
The location, located using reconnaissance, was thought to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the statement said, and was positioned in mountains just to the north of the ancient city of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"The RAF jets used Paveway IV guided bombs to strike a several approach shafts down to the depot... early reports are that the strike was effective," officials stated.
There was no evidence of any civilian impact in the operation on Saturday evening and all the aircraft returned to base without incident, the defence officials confirmed.
The Typhoon fighters were supported by a Voyager tanker plane.
The Islamic State group - also known as Daesh - imposed militant control over large swathes of both Syria and Iraq until 2019.
"This operation underscores the UK's leading role, and determination to stand shoulder to shoulder with our partners, to stamp out any re-emergence of IS and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the area," the British Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary said.
UK warplanes have carried out surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "deter any efforts to regroup" of the group after its routing at the battle of Baghuz in the year 2019, the ministry said.
"I want to thank the personnel of the UK armed forces who took part in this operation for their expertise and their bravery," Healey commented. "Including them were a great many British personnel deployed over Christmas and New Year. This operation, to eliminate militants who endanger our safety, shows how UK forces are ready to step up, continuously, keeping Britain secure within its borders and strong abroad."
Last December, the US military executed what it termed a "massive strike" on Islamic State objectives in the country, subsequent to an attack killed two American soldiers and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The U.N. estimates Daesh still has between 5,000 and 7,000 militants in Iraq and Syria.
