RAF Typhoon fighter aircraft have operated alongside French aircraft in a combined operation against an hidden munitions depot in Syrian territory operated by the Islamic State group (IS), as stated by the British defence ministry.
The site, pinpointed through intelligence, was assessed as storing arms and explosives, the release indicated, and was located in mountains just to the north of the historic site of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"The RAF jets used precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to strike a number of approach shafts providing entry to the site... early reports suggest the strike was effective," the MoD said.
There was no indication of any civilian casualties in the attack late on Saturday and every plane involved returned safely, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon FGR4s were supported by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
Daesh - also known as ISIS - enforced jihadist rule over large swathes of Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This operation shows the UK's leading role, and commitment to work closely with our allies, to eliminate any resurgence of the terrorist group and their violent and radical beliefs in the region," the British Defence Secretary John Healey said.
British military aircraft have carried out patrols over Syrian airspace to "forestall any efforts to regroup" of Islamic State after its military defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the ministry said.
"I extend gratitude to the personnel of British forces participating in this strike for their professionalism and their bravery," Healey commented. "They were among thousands of British personnel stationed over Christmas and New Year. This operation, to remove dangerous terrorists who threaten our way of life, demonstrates how British military are prepared to act, throughout the year, protecting the UK domestically and powerful internationally."
Last December, the United States armed forces carried out what it described as a "large-scale strike" against Islamic State objectives in Syria, after an attack killed two US servicemembers and a local interpreter in Palmyra.
The United Nations reports IS still has roughly 5-7 thousand combatants in Iraq and Syria.
