Royal Air Force Typhoon jets have operated alongside French aircraft in a coordinated attack on an hidden munitions depot in Syrian territory employed by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the UK Ministry of Defence.
The facility, located using surveillance, was believed to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the statement said, and was situated in mountainous terrain just north of the historic site of Palmyra in central Syria.
"The RAF jets utilized laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to hit a series of approach shafts leading to the facility... initial indications suggest the strike was effective," the ministry announced.
There was no sign of any civilian impact in the operation late on Saturday and all the aircraft made a safe return, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon FGR4s were backed up by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
Daesh - alternatively referred to as the so-called Islamic State - imposed jihadist rule over large swathes of Iraq and Syria until 2019.
"This operation underscores the UK's leading role, and commitment to work closely with our allies, to eradicate any resurgence of the terrorist group and their violent and radical beliefs in the region," Britain's Defence Chief the minister remarked.
UK warplanes have performed patrols over Syrian airspace to "forestall any efforts to regroup" of the group after its defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the authorities noted.
"I extend gratitude to the personnel of our armed forces participating in this operation for their professionalism and their bravery," Healey added. "They were part of thousands of UK service members deployed over the holidays. This action, to take out militants who pose a risk to our safety, demonstrates how British military are prepared to act, all year round, protecting the UK at home and influential overseas."
In December, the United States armed forces carried out what it called a "large-scale strike" targeting Daesh sites in the country, after an ambush resulted in the deaths of two US servicemembers and a local interpreter in Palmyra.
The United Nations estimates IS still maintains roughly 5-7 thousand combatants in Syria and Iraq.
