RAF Typhoon fighter aircraft have operated alongside French aircraft in a combined operation on an hidden munitions depot in Syria used by the Islamic State group (IS), as stated by the British defence ministry.
The facility, located using surveillance, was assessed as housing weapons and explosive materials, the release indicated, and was situated in hills just north of the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our fighter planes employed laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to hit a series of approach shafts down to the facility... early reports suggest the strike was effective," the MoD said.
There was no sign of any civilian impact in the operation on Saturday evening and each participating jet returned safely, the MoD added.
The Typhoon FGR4s were backed up by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
Daesh - also known as Daesh - established jihadist rule over parts of both Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This strike demonstrates our UK leadership, and commitment to operate in unison with allied nations, to stamp out any resurgence of IS and their violent and radical beliefs in the region," the British Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary remarked.
UK warplanes have performed overwatch operations over Syrian airspace to "deter any attempted comeback" of the group following its military defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the authorities noted.
"I want to thank all the members of British forces participating in this operation for their professionalism and their valour," the Defence Secretary commented. "They were part of numerous British troops on duty over Christmas and New Year. This mission, to take out dangerous terrorists who pose a risk to our security, shows how UK forces are prepared to act, continuously, ensuring Britain's security within its borders and strong abroad."
During December, the United States armed forces executed what it termed a "massive strike" against Islamic State objectives in the country, after an ambush resulted in the deaths of two American soldiers and a civilian linguist in the Palmyra area.
The U.N. estimates IS still maintains between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters in Iraq and Syria.
