British Air Force Typhoon jets have joined forces with France's air force in a coordinated attack on an hidden munitions depot in Syria operated by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the UK's MoD.
The facility, located using intelligence, was assessed as housing weapons and explosive materials, the statement said, and was located in mountainous terrain just north of the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our aircraft used laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to target a several approach shafts leading to the site... initial indications indicate the objective was successfully hit," the ministry announced.
There was no evidence of any harm to civilians in the strike late on Saturday and every plane involved returned safely, the defence officials confirmed.
The British jets were supported by a Voyager tanker plane.
The Islamic State group - also known as Daesh - enforced militant control over significant areas in Iraq and Syria prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This strike shows our UK leadership, and resolve to work closely with allied nations, to eradicate any resurgence of the terrorist group and their violent and radical beliefs in the region," the British Defence Secretary John Healey stated.
UK warplanes have conducted overwatch operations over Syrian airspace to "prevent any efforts to regroup" of the group after its military defeat at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I must thank every member of the UK armed forces who took part in this strike for their professionalism and their courage," the Defence Secretary said. "Including them were thousands of British personnel deployed over Christmas and New Year. This action, to eliminate militants who endanger our way of life, demonstrates how UK forces are ready to step up, continuously, protecting the UK domestically and powerful internationally."
During December, the American forces executed what it called a "major assault" on Daesh sites in the country, subsequent to an attack killed two US servicemembers and a civilian interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The U.N. estimates IS still boasts an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 fighters in both countries.
