British Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have joined forces with France's air force in a combined operation against an underground arms cache in Syria used by the Islamic State group (IS), as stated by the British defence ministry.
The site, identified by intelligence, was thought to be containing munitions and bombs, the announcement noted, and was positioned in mountainous terrain just above the historic site of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"Our fighter planes employed Paveway IV guided bombs to hit a several access tunnels leading to the depot... preliminary assessments suggest the objective was successfully hit," the MoD said.
There was no sign of any civilian impact in the operation on Saturday evening and each participating jet returned to base without incident, the MoD added.
The Typhoon FGR4s were supported by a Voyager tanker plane.
Daesh - also known as the so-called Islamic State - enforced militant control over parts of both Syria and Iraq until 2019.
"This strike underscores British leadership, and resolve to work closely with allied nations, to eradicate any re-emergence of IS and their violent and radical beliefs in the area," the British Defence Secretary John Healey remarked.
UK warplanes have conducted surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "forestall any attempted comeback" of Islamic State after its routing at the climactic battle in Baghuz in the year 2019, the ministry said.
"I extend gratitude to every member of the UK armed forces who took part in this operation for their expertise and their courage," Healey commented. "They were part of a great many British personnel stationed over Christmas and New Year. This mission, to take out militants who threaten our safety, highlights how UK forces are prepared to act, all year round, keeping Britain secure at home and powerful internationally."
In December, the United States armed forces conducted what it called a "major assault" targeting Daesh sites in the country, after an assault killed two US troops and a civilian interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The UN reports Daesh still maintains between 5,000 and 7,000 combatants in both countries.
