Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have operated alongside French warplanes in a coordinated attack on an hidden munitions depot in Syrian territory used by the Daesh militant organization, according to the UK's MoD.
The facility, located using surveillance, was believed to be containing munitions and bombs, the announcement noted, and was situated in mountains just above the historic site of Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our fighter planes employed Paveway IV guided bombs to target a number of approach shafts providing entry to the depot... preliminary assessments are that the objective was successfully hit," the ministry announced.
There was no evidence of any civilian casualties in the strike on Saturday evening and every plane involved returned safely, the ministry further stated.
The British jets were backed up by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
IS - alternatively referred to as Daesh - enforced jihadist rule over large swathes of both Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This action demonstrates the UK's leading role, and resolve to stand shoulder to shoulder with allied nations, to stamp out any resurgence of Daesh and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the region," Britain's Defence Chief John Healey stated.
RAF aircraft have conducted surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "prevent any attempted resurgence" of the group after its military defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in the year 2019, the authorities noted.
"I must thank the personnel of British forces involved in this operation for their expertise and their bravery," the Defence Secretary commented. "They were among thousands of UK service members on duty over the festive period. This operation, to remove militants who threaten our security, demonstrates how UK forces are prepared to act, throughout the year, ensuring Britain's security at home and strong abroad."
Last December, the American forces conducted what it termed a "massive strike" on Daesh sites in the country, following an attack resulted in the deaths of two US troops and a local interpreter in Palmyra.
The United Nations reports Daesh still maintains between 5,000 and 7,000 combatants in Iraq and Syria.
