Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have joined forces with French aircraft in a joint strike against an underground arms cache in Syrian territory employed by the Daesh militant organization, according to the UK Ministry of Defence.
The facility, located using surveillance, was believed to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the release indicated, and was situated in hills just north of the historic site of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"The RAF jets employed Paveway IV guided bombs to strike a several entry passages leading to the site... initial indications suggest the strike was effective," the MoD said.
There was no evidence of any civilian impact in the attack conducted Saturday night and each participating jet returned safely, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon FGR4s were backed up by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
Daesh - also known as ISIS - enforced extremist governance over significant areas in both Syria and Iraq until 2019.
"This action shows the UK's leading role, and resolve to work closely with our allies, to eliminate any resurgence of the terrorist group and their violent and radical beliefs in the Middle East," UK Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary stated.
British military aircraft have conducted patrols over Syrian airspace to "forestall any attempted resurgence" of Islamic State subsequent to its military defeat at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the ministry said.
"I must thank all the members of our armed forces involved in this mission for their professionalism and their valour," Healey said. "They were among thousands of British personnel deployed over Christmas and New Year. This action, to remove terrorist threats who threaten our security, highlights how British military are ready to step up, continuously, protecting the UK domestically and powerful internationally."
In December, the US military conducted what it called a "large-scale strike" on IS targets in the country, subsequent to an attack claimed the lives of two American soldiers and a local interpreter in Palmyra.
The United Nations reports Daesh still boasts between 5,000 and 7,000 combatants in Syria and Iraq.