Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have conducted a mission with France's air force in a coordinated attack against an hidden munitions depot in Syria employed by the Islamic State group (IS), as stated by the UK Ministry of Defence.
The location, located using reconnaissance, was believed to be containing munitions and bombs, the statement said, and was situated in hills just above Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"Our aircraft utilized Paveway IV guided bombs to target a several entry passages leading to the facility... initial indications suggest the strike was effective," the MoD said.
There was no sign of any civilian impact in the strike conducted Saturday night and each participating jet returned safely, the defence officials confirmed.
The British jets were backed up by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
Daesh - referred to as the so-called Islamic State - enforced militant control over significant areas in Iraq and Syria prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This action demonstrates British leadership, and commitment to stand shoulder to shoulder with our partners, to eliminate any resurgence of Daesh and their violent and radical beliefs in the Middle East," Britain's Defence Chief John Healey stated.
UK warplanes have conducted overwatch operations over Syria to "deter any efforts to regroup" of the group after its military defeat at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the ministry said.
"I must thank the personnel of British forces who took part in this strike for their expertise and their valour," the Defence Secretary added. "They were part of thousands of UK service members on duty over the festive period. This operation, to take out dangerous terrorists who endanger our way of life, shows how British military are prepared to act, throughout the year, protecting the UK at home and influential overseas."
In December, the American forces executed what it termed a "large-scale strike" targeting IS targets in the country, after an assault claimed the lives of two American soldiers and a local interpreter in Palmyra.
The United Nations reports Islamic State still has roughly 5-7 thousand combatants in both countries.
