Royal Air Force Typhoon jets have operated alongside French warplanes in a combined operation against an hidden munitions depot in Syrian territory used by the Islamic State group (IS), as stated by the UK's MoD.
The facility, pinpointed through surveillance, was believed to be containing munitions and bombs, the release indicated, and was positioned in hills just to the north of the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria.
"The RAF jets used laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to strike a several access tunnels leading to the facility... preliminary assessments are that the strike was effective," the MoD said.
There was no sign of any harm to civilians in the attack late on Saturday and all the aircraft made a safe return, the MoD added.
The Typhoon FGR4s were supported by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
The Islamic State group - referred to as Daesh - imposed extremist governance over significant areas in Iraq and Syria prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This operation underscores the UK's leading role, and determination to operate in unison with allied nations, to eradicate any re-emergence of IS and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the area," UK Defence Secretary John Healey stated.
RAF aircraft have performed patrols over Syrian airspace to "forestall any efforts to regroup" of the group subsequent to its military defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I extend gratitude to all the members of British forces participating in this strike for their professionalism and their valour," Healey said. "They were part of numerous British troops deployed over the holidays. This action, to remove dangerous terrorists who pose a risk to our safety, demonstrates how our armed forces are prepared to act, throughout the year, keeping Britain secure within its borders and strong abroad."
During December, the American forces executed what it described as a "major assault" against Islamic State objectives in the country, following an ambush claimed the lives of two American soldiers and a civilian linguist in Palmyra.
The U.N. reports IS still boasts an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 combatants in Iraq and Syria.
