Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have joined forces with French warplanes in a joint strike against an hidden munitions depot in Syrian territory employed by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the British defence ministry.
The facility, pinpointed through reconnaissance, was believed to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the statement said, and was positioned in mountainous terrain just north of the historic site of Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our fighter planes employed laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to target a several approach shafts leading to the depot... early reports suggest the strike was effective," the ministry announced.
There was no evidence of any civilian casualties in the operation late on Saturday and every plane involved made a safe return, the ministry further stated.
The British jets were assisted by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
The Islamic State group - referred to as ISIS - established extremist governance over significant areas in Iraq and Syria until 2019.
"This action shows our UK leadership, and resolve to stand shoulder to shoulder with our allies, to stamp out any revival of IS and their violent and radical beliefs in the region," Britain's Defence Chief the Defence Secretary remarked.
RAF aircraft have carried out surveillance missions over Syria to "forestall any attempted resurgence" of Islamic State following its routing at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I want to thank every member of our armed forces involved in this operation for their expertise and their courage," the Defence Secretary commented. "They were part of numerous British troops stationed over Christmas and New Year. This mission, to remove militants who endanger our security, shows how our armed forces are ready to step up, all year round, keeping Britain secure within its borders and influential overseas."
During December, the US military conducted what it described as a "large-scale strike" targeting Daesh sites in Syria, after an attack claimed the lives of two American soldiers and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.
The UN says IS still has roughly 5-7 thousand fighters in Syria and Iraq.
