Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have conducted a mission with French warplanes in a coordinated attack targeting an hidden munitions depot in Syrian territory employed by the IS group, per a report from the UK Ministry of Defence.
The location, pinpointed through surveillance, was assessed as housing weapons and explosive materials, the release indicated, and was situated in mountainous terrain just above Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"The RAF jets used Paveway IV guided bombs to target a series of approach shafts leading to the depot... preliminary assessments are that the target was engaged successfully," officials stated.
There was no indication of any harm to civilians in the strike late on Saturday and all the aircraft returned to base without incident, the MoD added.
The Typhoon fighters were supported by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
Daesh - also known as ISIS - enforced jihadist rule over parts of both Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This operation shows British leadership, and determination to work closely with our allies, to eliminate any re-emergence of IS and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the area," the British Defence Secretary John Healey remarked.
UK warplanes have conducted surveillance missions over Syria to "deter any attempted resurgence" of IS after its military defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I extend gratitude to all the members of British forces participating in this operation for their expertise and their valour," he added. "Including them were a great many British troops on duty over Christmas and New Year. This action, to remove dangerous terrorists who threaten our way of life, shows how our armed forces are ready to step up, throughout the year, ensuring Britain's security domestically and strong abroad."
During December, the American forces carried out what it described as a "massive strike" targeting Islamic State objectives in the country, after an assault killed two American soldiers and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.
The U.N. estimates Islamic State still has roughly 5-7 thousand combatants in Syria and Iraq.
