RAF Typhoon fighter aircraft have joined forces with French aircraft in a joint strike on an hidden munitions depot in Syrian territory employed by the Daesh militant organization, according to the UK Ministry of Defence.
The location, identified by reconnaissance, was believed to be storing arms and explosives, the statement said, and was situated in mountainous terrain just above the ancient city of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"Our fighter planes used laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to strike a number of entry passages leading to the facility... preliminary assessments indicate the objective was successfully hit," the MoD said.
There was no sign of any harm to civilians in the attack on Saturday evening and all the aircraft returned safely, the MoD added.
The Typhoon FGR4s were assisted by a Voyager tanker plane.
IS - also known as Daesh - enforced extremist governance over large swathes of Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This action demonstrates British leadership, and commitment to stand shoulder to shoulder with our partners, to eradicate any re-emergence of Daesh and their violent and radical beliefs in the region," UK Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary stated.
British military aircraft have carried out overwatch operations over Syria to "deter any efforts to regroup" of the group after its defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the ministry said.
"I must thank all the members of our armed forces involved in this operation for their skill and their valour," he added. "They were among a great many British troops stationed over the festive period. This operation, to take out militants who threaten our security, highlights how our armed forces are always on standby, throughout the year, protecting the UK domestically and strong abroad."
In December, the United States armed forces executed what it called a "massive strike" on Daesh sites in Syria, subsequent to an attack killed two American soldiers and a civilian linguist in the Palmyra area.
The U.N. reports Islamic State still boasts an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 combatants in Syria and Iraq.
