British Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have operated alongside French aircraft in a combined operation targeting an hidden munitions depot in Syrian territory operated by the IS group, as stated by the British defence ministry.
The location, located using intelligence, was assessed as containing munitions and bombs, the statement said, and was located in hills just above Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"Our fighter planes utilized precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to target a several entry passages down to the facility... preliminary assessments indicate the objective was successfully hit," the ministry announced.
There was no sign of any harm to civilians in the strike conducted Saturday night and every plane involved made a safe return, the MoD added.
The British jets were assisted by a Voyager tanker plane.
IS - also known as Daesh - enforced militant control over large swathes of Iraq and Syria before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This strike demonstrates the UK's leading role, and resolve to work closely with allied nations, to eliminate any revival of the terrorist group and their violent and radical beliefs in the Middle East," Britain's Defence Chief John Healey said.
RAF aircraft have carried out overwatch operations over Syria to "forestall any attempted resurgence" of the group following its defeat at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I must thank the personnel of the UK armed forces participating in this mission for their professionalism and their courage," he commented. "Including them were a great many UK service members stationed over the holidays. This operation, to eliminate terrorist threats who pose a risk to our security, demonstrates how our armed forces are ready to step up, continuously, protecting the UK within its borders and powerful internationally."
During December, the US military carried out what it termed a "major assault" targeting Daesh sites in the country, following an assault killed two US servicemembers and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.
The U.N. says Daesh still boasts roughly 5-7 thousand fighters in both countries.
