Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have conducted a mission with French warplanes in a combined operation on an underground arms cache in Syrian territory employed by the Islamic State group (IS), as stated by the British defence ministry.
The site, identified by intelligence, was thought to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the release indicated, and was positioned in mountainous terrain just to the north of the historic site of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"Our fighter planes employed Paveway IV guided bombs to hit a number of entry passages leading to the depot... initial indications are that the target was engaged successfully," the ministry announced.
There was no evidence of any harm to civilians in the strike conducted Saturday night and each participating jet made a safe return, the defence officials confirmed.
The British jets were assisted by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
IS - alternatively referred to as ISIS - imposed jihadist rule over large swathes of both Syria and Iraq until 2019.
"This action underscores the UK's leading role, and determination to work closely with allied nations, to eliminate any resurgence of IS and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the area," UK Defence Secretary John Healey remarked.
UK warplanes have conducted surveillance missions over Syria to "deter any attempted resurgence" of Islamic State following its military defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the ministry said.
"I must thank all the members of the UK armed forces participating in this operation for their professionalism and their courage," he said. "They were among thousands of UK service members deployed over the holidays. This action, to eliminate terrorist threats who endanger our safety, demonstrates how UK forces are prepared to act, continuously, protecting the UK at home and powerful internationally."
Last December, the US military executed what it called a "large-scale strike" on Islamic State objectives in Syria, after an assault claimed the lives of two US servicemembers and a civilian interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The UN reports Daesh still boasts between 5,000 and 7,000 combatants in both countries.
