British Air Force Typhoon jets have conducted a mission with France's air force in a coordinated attack on an underground arms cache in Syria operated by the Daesh militant organization, according to the UK's MoD.
The facility, identified by surveillance, was thought to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the statement said, and was positioned in hills just above Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our aircraft utilized laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to strike a series of approach shafts down to the depot... early reports are that the objective was successfully hit," the MoD said.
There was no sign of any harm to civilians in the strike on Saturday evening and each participating jet returned to base without incident, the ministry further stated.
The British jets were backed up by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
Daesh - alternatively referred to as the so-called Islamic State - established jihadist rule over significant areas in Iraq and Syria prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This operation underscores our UK leadership, and determination to stand shoulder to shoulder with allied nations, to eradicate any resurgence of Daesh and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the area," UK Defence Secretary the minister stated.
British military aircraft have carried out overwatch operations over Syrian airspace to "prevent any efforts to regroup" of Islamic State subsequent to its defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I extend gratitude to the personnel of our armed forces who took part in this operation for their expertise and their valour," he added. "Including them were a great many British troops on duty over the festive period. This mission, to eliminate militants who pose a risk to our way of life, shows how British military are always on standby, continuously, ensuring Britain's security domestically and influential overseas."
Last December, the US military conducted what it termed a "large-scale strike" on Islamic State objectives in the country, subsequent to an attack claimed the lives of two US servicemembers and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The U.N. says Islamic State still has roughly 5-7 thousand fighters in Iraq and Syria.
