RAF Typhoon jets have operated alongside French warplanes in a coordinated attack on an hidden munitions depot in Syria employed by the Islamic State group (IS), according to the British defence ministry.
The facility, pinpointed through reconnaissance, was thought to be containing munitions and bombs, the announcement noted, and was located in mountains just above the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"The RAF jets utilized precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to target a series of entry passages providing entry to the facility... preliminary assessments indicate the strike was effective," the MoD said.
There was no sign of any civilian casualties in the operation on Saturday evening and all the aircraft returned safely, the defence officials confirmed.
The Typhoon FGR4s were supported by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
Daesh - also known as ISIS - established militant control over significant areas in Syria and Iraq until 2019.
"This strike underscores British leadership, and resolve to stand shoulder to shoulder with our partners, to eliminate any revival of Daesh and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the region," Britain's Defence Chief the Defence Secretary stated.
UK warplanes have conducted surveillance missions over Syria to "forestall any attempted comeback" of IS following its defeat at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the ministry said.
"I must thank all the members of the UK armed forces who took part in this mission for their professionalism and their courage," Healey added. "They were among a great many British personnel stationed over the holidays. This mission, to remove militants who pose a risk to our way of life, demonstrates how British military are prepared to act, continuously, protecting the UK within its borders and influential overseas."
Last December, the American forces executed what it described as a "major assault" targeting Daesh sites in Syria, after an attack killed two American soldiers and a civilian linguist in Palmyra.
The UN says IS still has roughly 5-7 thousand militants in both countries.
