British Air Force Typhoon jets have joined forces with French warplanes in a joint strike targeting an hidden munitions depot in Syrian territory operated by the Islamic State group (IS), as stated by the British defence ministry.
The site, pinpointed through intelligence, was believed to be storing arms and explosives, the statement said, and was positioned in hills just north of the historic site of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our aircraft utilized precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to target a series of access tunnels providing entry to the site... early reports indicate the objective was successfully hit," the MoD said.
There was no indication of any civilian impact in the operation conducted Saturday night and every plane involved made a safe return, the ministry further stated.
The British jets were backed up by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
IS - referred to as the so-called Islamic State - established jihadist rule over large swathes of Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This operation underscores the UK's leading role, and resolve to stand shoulder to shoulder with our partners, to stamp out any resurgence of Daesh and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the region," the British Defence Secretary the minister said.
RAF aircraft have carried out patrols over Syria to "deter any attempted resurgence" of Islamic State subsequent to its military defeat at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I must thank all the members of our armed forces participating in this operation for their expertise and their courage," the Defence Secretary commented. "They were among a great many British personnel on duty over the holidays. This operation, to take out dangerous terrorists who endanger our security, demonstrates how British military are always on standby, throughout the year, ensuring Britain's security within its borders and strong abroad."
During December, the American forces conducted what it described as a "major assault" on IS targets in the country, after an ambush resulted in the deaths of two US troops and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.
The UN estimates IS still maintains an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 fighters in both countries.
