Royal Air Force Typhoon jets have conducted a mission with French aircraft in a joint strike on an hidden munitions depot in Syrian territory used by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the British defence ministry.
The facility, identified by reconnaissance, was believed to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the release indicated, and was positioned in mountainous terrain just to the north of the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our fighter planes utilized Paveway IV guided bombs to hit a number of access tunnels providing entry to the depot... preliminary assessments are that the objective was successfully hit," the MoD said.
There was no sign of any civilian impact in the strike conducted Saturday night and all the aircraft returned safely, the MoD added.
The Typhoon FGR4s were assisted by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
IS - also known as the so-called Islamic State - enforced militant control over large swathes of both Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This action demonstrates British leadership, and resolve to stand shoulder to shoulder with allied nations, to eliminate any revival of the terrorist group and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the region," UK Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary remarked.
RAF aircraft have performed patrols over Syria to "prevent any attempted comeback" of the group subsequent to its defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the ministry said.
"I extend gratitude to the personnel of the UK armed forces who took part in this operation for their skill and their bravery," the Defence Secretary added. "Including them were numerous British troops stationed over the holidays. This operation, to remove terrorist threats who endanger our security, demonstrates how British military are always on standby, throughout the year, protecting the UK within its borders and influential overseas."
In December, the American forces carried out what it called a "large-scale strike" targeting Islamic State objectives in the country, subsequent to an ambush killed two US servicemembers and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The United Nations says Islamic State still boasts between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters in Syria and Iraq.
