Royal Air Force Typhoon jets have joined forces with French aircraft in a coordinated attack against an hidden munitions depot in Syrian territory used by the Daesh militant organization, per a report from the UK Ministry of Defence.
The site, pinpointed through intelligence, was believed to be containing munitions and bombs, the release indicated, and was situated in mountains just north of the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our aircraft used precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to hit a number of approach shafts leading to the depot... initial indications suggest the objective was successfully hit," the MoD said.
There was no sign of any civilian impact in the operation conducted Saturday night and all the aircraft returned to base without incident, the defence officials confirmed.
The British jets were assisted by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
IS - referred to as the so-called Islamic State - enforced militant control over large swathes of both Syria and Iraq until 2019.
"This action shows British leadership, and resolve to work closely with allied nations, to stamp out any re-emergence of IS and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the Middle East," the British Defence Secretary John Healey said.
British military aircraft have carried out patrols over Syria to "prevent any attempted resurgence" of IS following its military defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the authorities noted.
"I must thank every member of our armed forces involved in this operation for their skill and their courage," Healey said. "They were part of thousands of British troops on duty over Christmas and New Year. This action, to take out militants who pose a risk to our safety, highlights how UK forces are prepared to act, all year round, ensuring Britain's security domestically and influential overseas."
In December, the US military carried out what it described as a "large-scale strike" on Daesh sites in Syria, following an assault claimed the lives of two American soldiers and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.
The U.N. says Islamic State still boasts between 5,000 and 7,000 militants in Syria and Iraq.
