Royal Air Force Typhoon jets have joined forces with French warplanes in a coordinated attack targeting an subterranean weapons facility in Syria employed by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the British defence ministry.
The site, pinpointed through intelligence, was thought to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the statement said, and was situated in hills just north of the historic site of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"The RAF jets utilized laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to target a number of approach shafts down to the depot... initial indications are that the strike was effective," the MoD said.
There was no evidence of any harm to civilians in the strike on Saturday evening and each participating jet made a safe return, the MoD added.
The Typhoon fighters were assisted by a Voyager tanker plane.
Daesh - referred to as ISIS - established militant control over large swathes of Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This strike underscores our UK leadership, and commitment to operate in unison with our allies, to stamp out any revival of the terrorist group and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the region," the British Defence Secretary John Healey said.
British military aircraft have conducted patrols over Syrian airspace to "prevent any attempted resurgence" of Islamic State after its military defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in the year 2019, the ministry said.
"I extend gratitude to the personnel of our armed forces who took part in this strike for their professionalism and their courage," he commented. "Including them were thousands of British personnel on duty over the festive period. This operation, to remove dangerous terrorists who threaten our safety, demonstrates how British military are always on standby, throughout the year, ensuring Britain's security within its borders and powerful internationally."
Last December, the American forces carried out what it termed a "massive strike" targeting Islamic State objectives in the country, following an attack resulted in the deaths of two American soldiers and a civilian linguist in Palmyra.
The UN reports Daesh still boasts an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 fighters in Iraq and Syria.
