British Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have joined forces with French warplanes in a combined operation against an underground arms cache in Syria used by the Daesh militant organization, according to the UK Ministry of Defence.
The site, located using reconnaissance, was believed to be containing munitions and bombs, the statement said, and was located in mountainous terrain just to the north of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"Our fighter planes employed laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to hit a number of entry passages down to the depot... initial indications suggest the strike was effective," the MoD said.
There was no sign of any harm to civilians in the operation conducted Saturday night and every plane involved returned safely, the MoD added.
The Typhoon fighters were backed up by a Voyager tanker plane.
The Islamic State group - also known as the so-called Islamic State - established jihadist rule over parts of Syria and Iraq until 2019.
"This operation shows the UK's leading role, and determination to operate in unison with our partners, to stamp out any revival of the terrorist group and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the region," the British Defence Secretary John Healey said.
British military aircraft have performed surveillance missions over Syria to "prevent any attempted resurgence" of the group after its defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in the year 2019, the ministry said.
"I want to thank all the members of the UK armed forces participating in this strike for their professionalism and their courage," the Defence Secretary said. "They were part of a great many British personnel on duty over Christmas and New Year. This operation, to take out militants who pose a risk to our safety, shows how British military are ready to step up, throughout the year, protecting the UK within its borders and powerful internationally."
During December, the United States armed forces executed what it called a "major assault" against Daesh sites in the country, following an ambush resulted in the deaths of two American soldiers and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The U.N. estimates Daesh still maintains an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 fighters in Syria and Iraq.
