British Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have joined forces with French warplanes in a combined operation targeting an hidden munitions depot in Syrian territory used by the Islamic State group (IS), as stated by the UK's MoD.
The site, identified by surveillance, was thought to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the announcement noted, and was situated in hills just north of the historic site of Palmyra in central Syria.
"The RAF jets utilized laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to strike a number of approach shafts providing entry to the facility... initial indications are that the objective was successfully hit," the MoD said.
There was no evidence of any harm to civilians in the operation conducted Saturday night and all the aircraft returned safely, the defence officials confirmed.
The British jets were assisted by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
Daesh - referred to as the so-called Islamic State - established jihadist rule over parts of Iraq and Syria before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This operation demonstrates the UK's leading role, and resolve to work closely with allied nations, to eliminate any resurgence of IS and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the area," the British Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary said.
RAF aircraft have performed surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "prevent any attempted resurgence" of Islamic State following its military defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the ministry said.
"I want to thank every member of our armed forces participating in this mission for their expertise and their valour," the Defence Secretary said. "They were among numerous British troops deployed over the holidays. This action, to remove dangerous terrorists who threaten our security, shows how our armed forces are always on standby, continuously, ensuring Britain's security domestically and influential overseas."
Last December, the United States armed forces executed what it described as a "major assault" targeting IS targets in Syria, after an assault killed two US servicemembers and a civilian linguist in the Palmyra area.
The United Nations says Daesh still maintains between 5,000 and 7,000 militants in both countries.
