Royal Air Force Typhoon jets have operated alongside French warplanes in a coordinated attack on an underground arms cache in Syrian territory operated by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the UK Ministry of Defence.
The site, located using reconnaissance, was assessed as containing munitions and bombs, the statement said, and was situated in hills just north of the historic site of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our fighter planes employed Paveway IV guided bombs to hit a series of entry passages providing entry to the depot... initial indications are that the strike was effective," officials stated.
There was no evidence of any harm to civilians in the operation on Saturday evening and all the aircraft made a safe return, the MoD added.
The British jets were backed up by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
IS - alternatively referred to as ISIS - enforced extremist governance over parts of Iraq and Syria before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This action underscores our UK leadership, and resolve to stand shoulder to shoulder with our partners, to eradicate any revival of Daesh and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the Middle East," the British Defence Secretary John Healey remarked.
UK warplanes have carried out overwatch operations over Syria to "forestall any attempted resurgence" of the group after its military defeat at the battle of Baghuz in the year 2019, the authorities noted.
"I want to thank the personnel of the UK armed forces participating in this operation for their professionalism and their courage," the Defence Secretary commented. "They were part of numerous UK service members deployed over Christmas and New Year. This mission, to remove militants who threaten our security, demonstrates how our armed forces are always on standby, throughout the year, protecting the UK at home and powerful internationally."
During December, the American forces carried out what it termed a "massive strike" against Daesh sites in the country, after an assault resulted in the deaths of two American soldiers and a civilian interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The United Nations estimates IS still boasts between 5,000 and 7,000 combatants in both countries.
