RAF Typhoon jets have conducted a mission with French warplanes in a coordinated attack against an hidden munitions depot in Syrian territory operated by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the UK's MoD.
The facility, identified by reconnaissance, was assessed as containing munitions and bombs, the announcement noted, and was positioned in mountainous terrain just above the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our fighter planes utilized laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to strike a number of access tunnels down to the depot... preliminary assessments are that the objective was successfully hit," the ministry announced.
There was no sign of any harm to civilians in the strike conducted Saturday night and all the aircraft returned to base without incident, the defence officials confirmed.
The Typhoon fighters were assisted by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
The Islamic State group - also known as Daesh - enforced extremist governance over large swathes of Syria and Iraq until 2019.
"This strike shows the UK's leading role, and determination to work closely with our partners, to eliminate any re-emergence of the terrorist group and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the region," the British Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary said.
RAF aircraft have conducted overwatch operations over Syrian airspace to "forestall any attempted resurgence" of Islamic State after its routing at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I extend gratitude to all the members of our armed forces participating in this operation for their professionalism and their bravery," he added. "They were among numerous British personnel on duty over Christmas and New Year. This mission, to eliminate dangerous terrorists who endanger our way of life, highlights how UK forces are ready to step up, throughout the year, protecting the UK domestically and powerful internationally."
In December, the US military conducted what it termed a "massive strike" on Daesh sites in Syria, subsequent to an ambush claimed the lives of two US troops and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The U.N. says IS still has an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 combatants in Iraq and Syria.
