Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have operated alongside France's air force in a joint strike against an hidden munitions depot in Syria used by the Islamic State group (IS), according to the UK's MoD.
The site, pinpointed through surveillance, was believed to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the release indicated, and was located in hills just above the ancient city of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"Our aircraft utilized laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to target a number of access tunnels down to the facility... preliminary assessments are that the objective was successfully hit," the MoD said.
There was no sign of any harm to civilians in the attack late on Saturday and every plane involved returned safely, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon fighters were supported by a Voyager tanker plane.
Daesh - referred to as Daesh - enforced militant control over parts of both Syria and Iraq until 2019.
"This action shows our UK leadership, and resolve to operate in unison with our allies, to eliminate any revival of IS and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the Middle East," Britain's Defence Chief John Healey remarked.
British military aircraft have conducted overwatch operations over Syria to "deter any attempted resurgence" of Islamic State after its defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in the year 2019, the authorities noted.
"I must thank the personnel of the UK armed forces participating in this operation for their skill and their valour," the Defence Secretary commented. "Including them were numerous British troops stationed over the festive period. This operation, to take out terrorist threats who endanger our safety, highlights how our armed forces are always on standby, continuously, protecting the UK domestically and powerful internationally."
In December, the US military executed what it described as a "large-scale strike" on IS targets in Syria, following an assault claimed the lives of two US troops and a local interpreter in Palmyra.
The U.N. says Daesh still boasts between 5,000 and 7,000 militants in Syria and Iraq.
