Royal Air Force Typhoon jets have operated alongside French warplanes in a combined operation on an hidden munitions depot in Syria used by the Daesh militant organization, according to the UK Ministry of Defence.
The facility, pinpointed through reconnaissance, was believed to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the statement said, and was located in mountains just to the north of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"Our fighter planes utilized precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to hit a several entry passages down to the facility... early reports are that the objective was successfully hit," the MoD said.
There was no sign of any civilian impact in the operation conducted Saturday night and every plane involved returned safely, the MoD added.
The Typhoon FGR4s were assisted by a Voyager tanker plane.
Daesh - referred to as the so-called Islamic State - imposed militant control over significant areas in Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This operation demonstrates our UK leadership, and determination to work closely with our partners, to eradicate any re-emergence of Daesh and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the Middle East," the British Defence Secretary John Healey remarked.
UK warplanes have conducted patrols over Syria to "prevent any attempted comeback" of Islamic State following its defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the authorities noted.
"I extend gratitude to all the members of the UK armed forces who took part in this operation for their expertise and their bravery," Healey commented. "They were among numerous British troops stationed over the festive period. This operation, to eliminate militants who endanger our way of life, demonstrates how British military are prepared to act, continuously, protecting the UK at home and strong abroad."
During December, the US military carried out what it called a "major assault" against IS targets in Syria, after an attack killed two US troops and a civilian interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The U.N. estimates Islamic State still boasts roughly 5-7 thousand fighters in both countries.
