Royal Air Force Typhoon jets have conducted a mission with French warplanes in a joint strike targeting an hidden munitions depot in Syrian territory employed by the Daesh militant organization, according to the British defence ministry.
The location, located using intelligence, was assessed as housing weapons and explosive materials, the release indicated, and was positioned in hills just above the ancient city of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"Our aircraft used laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to strike a series of entry passages down to the site... initial indications are that the target was engaged successfully," the MoD said.
There was no indication of any civilian casualties in the attack late on Saturday and each participating jet returned safely, the MoD added.
The Typhoon fighters were backed up by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
Daesh - referred to as the so-called Islamic State - established militant control over large swathes of both Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This strike demonstrates British leadership, and determination to stand shoulder to shoulder with allied nations, to eliminate any resurgence of IS and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the area," the British Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary said.
UK warplanes have carried out overwatch operations over Syria to "deter any attempted comeback" of the group after its defeat at the battle of Baghuz in the year 2019, the MoD reported.
"I want to thank every member of our armed forces who took part in this operation for their skill and their valour," Healey commented. "Including them were a great many British troops stationed over Christmas and New Year. This mission, to remove terrorist threats who threaten our way of life, shows how UK forces are always on standby, throughout the year, protecting the UK at home and powerful internationally."
Last December, the US military carried out what it called a "major assault" on IS targets in Syria, subsequent to an ambush killed two US troops and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.
The United Nations says Islamic State still has roughly 5-7 thousand militants in Iraq and Syria.
