British Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have operated alongside France's air force in a coordinated attack targeting an hidden munitions depot in Syrian territory operated by the Islamic State group (IS), according to the UK's MoD.
The facility, located using surveillance, was assessed as housing weapons and explosive materials, the announcement noted, and was located in hills just above Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"The RAF jets used precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to strike a series of approach shafts down to the depot... preliminary assessments are that the target was engaged successfully," the MoD said.
There was no evidence of any harm to civilians in the operation late on Saturday and every plane involved returned to base without incident, the MoD added.
The Typhoon FGR4s were backed up by a Voyager tanker plane.
Daesh - referred to as Daesh - established extremist governance over parts of both Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This operation shows British leadership, and resolve to operate in unison with our partners, to stamp out any re-emergence of Daesh and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the region," Britain's Defence Chief John Healey stated.
RAF aircraft have conducted surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "prevent any efforts to regroup" of IS following its defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I want to thank all the members of British forces participating in this mission for their skill and their courage," Healey said. "They were part of numerous British troops on duty over the festive period. This action, to eliminate terrorist threats who threaten our safety, shows how our armed forces are ready to step up, continuously, keeping Britain secure domestically and strong abroad."
Last December, the American forces conducted what it called a "massive strike" against IS targets in Syria, following an ambush resulted in the deaths of two US servicemembers and a civilian interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The U.N. reports Daesh still boasts an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 combatants in Syria and Iraq.
