Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have joined forces with French aircraft in a coordinated attack on an hidden munitions depot in Syria used by the Islamic State group (IS), as stated by the UK Ministry of Defence.
The facility, located using surveillance, was thought to be containing munitions and bombs, the statement said, and was located in mountains just to the north of the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our aircraft utilized laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to strike a series of access tunnels down to the depot... preliminary assessments are that the target was engaged successfully," the ministry announced.
There was no indication of any civilian casualties in the operation late on Saturday and each participating jet made a safe return, the MoD added.
The British jets were supported by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
IS - also known as the so-called Islamic State - enforced militant control over large swathes of both Syria and Iraq until 2019.
"This operation shows our UK leadership, and resolve to work closely with our allies, to eliminate any revival of Daesh and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the area," UK Defence Secretary John Healey stated.
RAF aircraft have performed overwatch operations over Syria to "deter any attempted resurgence" of the group following its routing at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I must thank every member of British forces who took part in this operation for their professionalism and their courage," he commented. "Including them were thousands of British troops on duty over the holidays. This operation, to take out dangerous terrorists who endanger our way of life, shows how British military are ready to step up, throughout the year, protecting the UK within its borders and powerful internationally."
Last December, the American forces executed what it termed a "large-scale strike" on IS targets in Syria, subsequent to an attack killed two American soldiers and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The United Nations estimates Islamic State still maintains roughly 5-7 thousand militants in Syria and Iraq.
