Royal Air Force Typhoon jets have conducted a mission with French aircraft in a coordinated attack targeting an hidden munitions depot in Syria employed by the Daesh militant organization, as stated by the UK's MoD.
The site, identified by intelligence, was believed to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the announcement noted, and was located in hills just north of the historic site of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"The RAF jets employed precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to strike a several access tunnels providing entry to the depot... initial indications suggest the strike was effective," officials stated.
There was no sign of any harm to civilians in the strike on Saturday evening and all the aircraft returned to base without incident, the MoD added.
The Typhoon fighters were supported by a Voyager tanker plane.
IS - also known as the so-called Islamic State - imposed jihadist rule over significant areas in Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This strike demonstrates British leadership, and resolve to stand shoulder to shoulder with our partners, to eliminate any revival of Daesh and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the region," UK Defence Secretary John Healey said.
RAF aircraft have carried out overwatch operations over Syrian airspace to "forestall any efforts to regroup" of Islamic State after its routing at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the authorities noted.
"I want to thank every member of British forces participating in this operation for their professionalism and their valour," Healey said. "They were among thousands of UK service members on duty over the holidays. This operation, to remove dangerous terrorists who threaten our way of life, highlights how British military are ready to step up, continuously, ensuring Britain's security within its borders and influential overseas."
During December, the US military carried out what it termed a "massive strike" on Islamic State objectives in Syria, after an assault killed two US servicemembers and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.
The UN says IS still maintains an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 militants in Syria and Iraq.
