British Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have joined forces with France's air force in a joint strike targeting an hidden munitions depot in Syria employed by the Islamic State group (IS), according to the British defence ministry.
The facility, located using reconnaissance, was assessed as storing arms and explosives, the statement said, and was positioned in hills just north of the historic site of Palmyra in central Syria.
"The RAF jets used Paveway IV guided bombs to hit a number of access tunnels down to the facility... preliminary assessments suggest the target was engaged successfully," the ministry announced.
There was no indication of any civilian casualties in the operation late on Saturday and all the aircraft returned to base without incident, the defence officials confirmed.
The Typhoon FGR4s were assisted by a Voyager tanker plane.
Daesh - referred to as the so-called Islamic State - imposed militant control over large swathes of Iraq and Syria prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This action demonstrates our UK leadership, and resolve to operate in unison with our allies, to eradicate any resurgence of Daesh and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the region," the British Defence Secretary the minister said.
UK warplanes have carried out surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "deter any efforts to regroup" of the group following its defeat at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I want to thank every member of the UK armed forces involved in this operation for their expertise and their valour," the Defence Secretary said. "They were part of numerous British troops stationed over Christmas and New Year. This operation, to take out dangerous terrorists who threaten our way of life, highlights how our armed forces are ready to step up, continuously, keeping Britain secure at home and powerful internationally."
During December, the United States armed forces executed what it called a "massive strike" targeting Islamic State objectives in the country, subsequent to an attack claimed the lives of two US troops and a local interpreter in Palmyra.
The U.N. estimates Islamic State still boasts between 5,000 and 7,000 militants in Syria and Iraq.
