Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have joined forces with French warplanes in a combined operation against an hidden munitions depot in Syria employed by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the British defence ministry.
The site, identified by surveillance, was thought to be containing munitions and bombs, the statement said, and was located in hills just north of the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our fighter planes utilized Paveway IV guided bombs to hit a series of approach shafts leading to the facility... initial indications are that the objective was successfully hit," the ministry announced.
There was no sign of any harm to civilians in the strike late on Saturday and each participating jet returned safely, the MoD added.
The Typhoon FGR4s were assisted by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
The Islamic State group - also known as the so-called Islamic State - imposed militant control over large swathes of Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This action demonstrates the UK's leading role, and determination to work closely with our partners, to stamp out any revival of Daesh and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the region," UK Defence Secretary John Healey remarked.
UK warplanes have conducted surveillance missions over Syria to "prevent any attempted resurgence" of Islamic State subsequent to its military defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the authorities noted.
"I extend gratitude to every member of British forces involved in this strike for their skill and their valour," he added. "Including them were a great many UK service members stationed over the holidays. This action, to eliminate terrorist threats who pose a risk to our way of life, demonstrates how British military are always on standby, all year round, keeping Britain secure domestically and strong abroad."
During December, the American forces carried out what it called a "large-scale strike" against IS targets in the country, subsequent to an attack killed two American soldiers and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The UN reports Daesh still has an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 militants in Iraq and Syria.
