British Air Force Typhoon jets have operated alongside French warplanes in a combined operation against an subterranean weapons facility in Syrian territory operated by the Islamic State group (IS), as stated by the UK Ministry of Defence.
The site, identified by reconnaissance, was believed to be containing munitions and bombs, the announcement noted, and was located in hills just to the north of the historic site of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"The RAF jets used laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to strike a number of entry passages leading to the depot... preliminary assessments are that the strike was effective," officials stated.
There was no evidence of any harm to civilians in the operation late on Saturday and all the aircraft returned to base without incident, the defence officials confirmed.
The British jets were backed up by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
IS - also known as ISIS - enforced militant control over large swathes of Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This strike shows our UK leadership, and commitment to stand shoulder to shoulder with our allies, to eliminate any re-emergence of IS and their violent and radical beliefs in the Middle East," UK Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary remarked.
UK warplanes have conducted surveillance missions over Syria to "forestall any attempted comeback" of the group subsequent to its routing at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the ministry said.
"I extend gratitude to every member of our armed forces who took part in this operation for their expertise and their bravery," Healey said. "They were part of a great many British personnel on duty over the festive period. This mission, to remove terrorist threats who pose a risk to our way of life, highlights how British military are always on standby, continuously, ensuring Britain's security at home and influential overseas."
During December, the American forces executed what it termed a "massive strike" on IS targets in the country, after an attack killed two American soldiers and a civilian linguist in the Palmyra area.
The UN says Daesh still boasts roughly 5-7 thousand militants in Syria and Iraq.
