RAF Typhoon fighter aircraft have conducted a mission with French warplanes in a combined operation against an hidden munitions depot in Syria operated by the Daesh militant organization, according to the British defence ministry.
The location, pinpointed through intelligence, was believed to be storing arms and explosives, the release indicated, and was located in mountainous terrain just to the north of Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our aircraft utilized precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to target a number of access tunnels down to the depot... early reports suggest the strike was effective," officials stated.
There was no evidence of any civilian impact in the operation on Saturday evening and each participating jet made a safe return, the defence officials confirmed.
The British jets were supported by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
The Islamic State group - also known as the so-called Islamic State - imposed militant control over significant areas in Iraq and Syria before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This action underscores British leadership, and resolve to stand shoulder to shoulder with our allies, to eliminate any revival of IS and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the region," the British Defence Secretary John Healey said.
RAF aircraft have carried out overwatch operations over Syria to "forestall any efforts to regroup" of the group after its military defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the ministry said.
"I want to thank the personnel of our armed forces involved in this strike for their professionalism and their valour," the Defence Secretary commented. "They were part of thousands of British personnel on duty over the festive period. This action, to eliminate militants who threaten our security, demonstrates how British military are prepared to act, all year round, protecting the UK domestically and strong abroad."
Last December, the United States armed forces conducted what it called a "massive strike" targeting Daesh sites in Syria, after an ambush resulted in the deaths of two US servicemembers and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.
The U.N. reports IS still boasts roughly 5-7 thousand combatants in Syria and Iraq.
