RAF Typhoon jets have operated alongside France's air force in a coordinated attack against an hidden munitions depot in Syrian territory used by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the British defence ministry.
The facility, pinpointed through intelligence, was thought to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the announcement noted, and was positioned in hills just north of the historic site of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"The RAF jets employed Paveway IV guided bombs to target a series of approach shafts down to the facility... preliminary assessments are that the target was engaged successfully," the MoD said.
There was no sign of any harm to civilians in the strike conducted Saturday night and all the aircraft made a safe return, the defence officials confirmed.
The Typhoon FGR4s were supported by a Voyager tanker plane.
IS - also known as the so-called Islamic State - enforced extremist governance over parts of Iraq and Syria prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This action demonstrates British leadership, and resolve to operate in unison with our allies, to stamp out any resurgence of Daesh and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the region," the British Defence Secretary the minister remarked.
UK warplanes have performed overwatch operations over Syrian airspace to "prevent any efforts to regroup" of the group after its routing at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the authorities noted.
"I want to thank every member of British forces participating in this mission for their professionalism and their courage," Healey said. "They were among numerous British troops stationed over the holidays. This operation, to take out militants who endanger our security, highlights how British military are prepared to act, all year round, ensuring Britain's security domestically and powerful internationally."
Last December, the US military carried out what it termed a "large-scale strike" targeting Daesh sites in Syria, subsequent to an assault resulted in the deaths of two US troops and a civilian linguist in the Palmyra area.
The United Nations reports Islamic State still boasts an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 militants in both countries.
