Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have joined forces with French warplanes in a coordinated attack targeting an hidden munitions depot in Syria used by the Daesh militant organization, as stated by the UK Ministry of Defence.
The site, identified by surveillance, was believed to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the announcement noted, and was located in hills just to the north of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our fighter planes utilized precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to target a several entry passages down to the facility... initial indications indicate the target was engaged successfully," the MoD said.
There was no evidence of any harm to civilians in the operation late on Saturday and each participating jet returned to base without incident, the MoD added.
The Typhoon FGR4s were backed up by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
The Islamic State group - referred to as ISIS - imposed extremist governance over parts of both Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This operation underscores British leadership, and resolve to stand shoulder to shoulder with our partners, to eliminate any re-emergence of Daesh and their violent and radical beliefs in the region," the British Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary stated.
British military aircraft have conducted overwatch operations over Syria to "forestall any attempted comeback" of IS subsequent to its military defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the authorities noted.
"I want to thank the personnel of our armed forces involved in this mission for their expertise and their courage," he commented. "They were among numerous UK service members on duty over the festive period. This action, to take out militants who endanger our safety, demonstrates how British military are always on standby, throughout the year, keeping Britain secure domestically and influential overseas."
During December, the US military executed what it termed a "large-scale strike" targeting IS targets in Syria, after an attack killed two US servicemembers and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.
The UN says IS still maintains between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters in both countries.
