Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have joined forces with French warplanes in a combined operation targeting an hidden munitions depot in Syrian territory employed by the Daesh militant organization, per a report from the UK's MoD.
The location, pinpointed through reconnaissance, was believed to be containing munitions and bombs, the release indicated, and was located in hills just to the north of the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our aircraft utilized laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to hit a series of approach shafts down to the site... initial indications are that the target was engaged successfully," the MoD said.
There was no evidence of any civilian impact in the strike late on Saturday and every plane involved returned safely, the defence officials confirmed.
The British jets were assisted by a Voyager tanker plane.
IS - also known as the so-called Islamic State - enforced militant control over parts of Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This strike demonstrates our UK leadership, and commitment to operate in unison with allied nations, to stamp out any re-emergence of the terrorist group and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the Middle East," the British Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary stated.
UK warplanes have conducted patrols over Syria to "deter any attempted comeback" of the group following its routing at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I want to thank the personnel of British forces involved in this strike for their professionalism and their courage," the Defence Secretary commented. "They were among thousands of British troops deployed over the holidays. This mission, to eliminate militants who threaten our security, demonstrates how our armed forces are prepared to act, all year round, protecting the UK within its borders and strong abroad."
Last December, the US military executed what it termed a "large-scale strike" on IS targets in the country, following an ambush resulted in the deaths of two American soldiers and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The UN reports Daesh still boasts between 5,000 and 7,000 combatants in both countries.
