Royal Air Force Typhoon jets have operated alongside French warplanes in a combined operation against an subterranean weapons facility in Syrian territory used by the Daesh militant organization, according to the British defence ministry.
The facility, located using surveillance, was assessed as containing munitions and bombs, the statement said, and was located in mountains just above the historic site of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our aircraft employed Paveway IV guided bombs to hit a number of entry passages leading to the depot... initial indications suggest the objective was successfully hit," the ministry announced.
There was no indication of any harm to civilians in the attack conducted Saturday night and every plane involved made a safe return, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon fighters were backed up by a Voyager tanker plane.
Daesh - alternatively referred to as Daesh - established jihadist rule over significant areas in Iraq and Syria before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This action underscores our UK leadership, and determination to work closely with our partners, to stamp out any re-emergence of IS and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the area," the British Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary remarked.
UK warplanes have performed overwatch operations over Syria to "forestall any efforts to regroup" of the group following its military defeat at the battle of Baghuz in the year 2019, the MoD reported.
"I extend gratitude to the personnel of British forces involved in this operation for their professionalism and their bravery," the Defence Secretary said. "Including them were a great many UK service members deployed over the holidays. This operation, to remove terrorist threats who threaten our security, highlights how our armed forces are prepared to act, continuously, ensuring Britain's security within its borders and strong abroad."
In December, the US military conducted what it described as a "major assault" targeting Daesh sites in Syria, following an ambush claimed the lives of two US troops and a civilian interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The UN estimates Daesh still has between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters in Iraq and Syria.
