Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have conducted a mission with French warplanes in a combined operation against an hidden munitions depot in Syria operated by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the British defence ministry.
The site, located using surveillance, was thought to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the release indicated, and was situated in mountains just to the north of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"Our aircraft used laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to hit a number of approach shafts down to the facility... early reports suggest the objective was successfully hit," officials stated.
There was no indication of any civilian impact in the strike conducted Saturday night and every plane involved made a safe return, the defence officials confirmed.
The British jets were supported by a Voyager tanker plane.
The Islamic State group - referred to as ISIS - imposed jihadist rule over significant areas in Iraq and Syria before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This operation demonstrates the UK's leading role, and determination to work closely with allied nations, to stamp out any resurgence of IS and their violent and radical beliefs in the Middle East," the British Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary stated.
British military aircraft have conducted surveillance missions over Syria to "prevent any attempted resurgence" of Islamic State after its routing at the Baghuz confrontation in the year 2019, the ministry said.
"I want to thank the personnel of the UK armed forces participating in this mission for their skill and their courage," he said. "Including them were a great many UK service members stationed over the holidays. This operation, to take out militants who pose a risk to our way of life, highlights how our armed forces are ready to step up, continuously, keeping Britain secure within its borders and influential overseas."
Last December, the US military carried out what it called a "massive strike" targeting IS targets in Syria, following an ambush resulted in the deaths of two US servicemembers and a civilian linguist in the Palmyra area.
The United Nations estimates Islamic State still boasts an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 militants in Syria and Iraq.
