RAF Typhoon fighter aircraft have joined forces with French aircraft in a coordinated attack on an hidden munitions depot in Syrian territory operated by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the UK's MoD.
The facility, identified by reconnaissance, was believed to be containing munitions and bombs, the statement said, and was positioned in mountainous terrain just above the historic site of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our aircraft utilized laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to target a several approach shafts providing entry to the facility... initial indications suggest the objective was successfully hit," the MoD said.
There was no sign of any civilian impact in the strike late on Saturday and every plane involved returned safely, the defence officials confirmed.
The British jets were assisted by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
IS - alternatively referred to as Daesh - imposed militant control over large swathes of Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This strike demonstrates British leadership, and resolve to operate in unison with allied nations, to stamp out any revival of the terrorist group and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the area," the British Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary said.
UK warplanes have carried out overwatch operations over Syrian airspace to "deter any attempted comeback" of the group after its defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I want to thank all the members of our armed forces involved in this operation for their professionalism and their valour," the Defence Secretary commented. "They were part of thousands of UK service members on duty over the holidays. This operation, to take out terrorist threats who endanger our security, shows how UK forces are prepared to act, continuously, ensuring Britain's security within its borders and strong abroad."
During December, the US military carried out what it termed a "large-scale strike" targeting Daesh sites in the country, after an assault resulted in the deaths of two American soldiers and a local interpreter in Palmyra.
The U.N. estimates Islamic State still boasts an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 combatants in Syria and Iraq.
