British Air Force Typhoon jets have joined forces with France's air force in a joint strike targeting an hidden munitions depot in Syria operated by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the UK Ministry of Defence.
The location, identified by reconnaissance, was thought to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the statement said, and was located in mountains just above Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"Our aircraft utilized laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to hit a number of entry passages down to the depot... early reports suggest the objective was successfully hit," officials stated.
There was no indication of any harm to civilians in the attack late on Saturday and all the aircraft made a safe return, the MoD added.
The Typhoon FGR4s were supported by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
IS - alternatively referred to as ISIS - enforced militant control over large swathes of both Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This strike demonstrates our UK leadership, and determination to work closely with allied nations, to stamp out any resurgence of Daesh and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the region," UK Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary said.
UK warplanes have performed overwatch operations over Syrian airspace to "prevent any attempted resurgence" of Islamic State following its routing at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the authorities noted.
"I extend gratitude to every member of British forces who took part in this operation for their expertise and their valour," he said. "They were part of a great many British troops deployed over Christmas and New Year. This mission, to eliminate terrorist threats who pose a risk to our way of life, demonstrates how UK forces are prepared to act, throughout the year, ensuring Britain's security at home and strong abroad."
During December, the US military executed what it termed a "major assault" targeting IS targets in the country, after an attack resulted in the deaths of two US servicemembers and a civilian linguist in the Palmyra area.
The United Nations says Islamic State still has an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 combatants in Syria and Iraq.
