RAF Typhoon jets have joined forces with French warplanes in a joint strike on an hidden munitions depot in Syria operated by the Islamic State group (IS), as stated by the UK's MoD.
The facility, pinpointed through intelligence, was thought to be containing munitions and bombs, the release indicated, and was situated in mountains just to the north of the historic site of Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our aircraft used laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to hit a number of access tunnels down to the site... initial indications are that the target was engaged successfully," officials stated.
There was no indication of any harm to civilians in the strike conducted Saturday night and every plane involved returned to base without incident, the defence officials confirmed.
The Typhoon fighters were backed up by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
The Islamic State group - alternatively referred to as ISIS - enforced jihadist rule over significant areas in Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This strike demonstrates the UK's leading role, and commitment to stand shoulder to shoulder with our allies, to eliminate any revival of Daesh and their violent and radical beliefs in the Middle East," UK Defence Secretary John Healey remarked.
RAF aircraft have performed surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "deter any attempted comeback" of Islamic State subsequent to its routing at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the authorities noted.
"I extend gratitude to all the members of our armed forces involved in this operation for their expertise and their bravery," Healey added. "They were among thousands of British troops deployed over the holidays. This action, to remove terrorist threats who threaten our safety, shows how our armed forces are always on standby, throughout the year, protecting the UK domestically and influential overseas."
Last December, the US military executed what it called a "major assault" targeting Daesh sites in Syria, following an assault killed two US servicemembers and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The U.N. estimates Islamic State still has an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 militants in Syria and Iraq.
