British Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have joined forces with French warplanes in a joint strike targeting an hidden munitions depot in Syria operated by the IS group, according to the British defence ministry.
The facility, located using reconnaissance, was assessed as storing arms and explosives, the announcement noted, and was situated in mountains just to the north of the historic site of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"The RAF jets utilized laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to target a several access tunnels providing entry to the site... preliminary assessments are that the objective was successfully hit," officials stated.
There was no indication of any civilian casualties in the strike late on Saturday and all the aircraft returned to base without incident, the defence officials confirmed.
The Typhoon fighters were backed up by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
IS - referred to as Daesh - established jihadist rule over significant areas in both Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This action shows the UK's leading role, and determination to stand shoulder to shoulder with allied nations, to eradicate any resurgence of the terrorist group and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the region," the British Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary stated.
UK warplanes have carried out patrols over Syria to "prevent any efforts to regroup" of IS following its routing at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the authorities noted.
"I must thank all the members of British forces who took part in this mission for their professionalism and their courage," he added. "They were among numerous UK service members deployed over the festive period. This operation, to take out terrorist threats who endanger our safety, shows how British military are prepared to act, continuously, ensuring Britain's security at home and strong abroad."
Last December, the United States armed forces executed what it termed a "major assault" on Islamic State objectives in Syria, following an attack killed two US troops and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.
The U.N. estimates Daesh still maintains an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 militants in both countries.
