RAF Typhoon fighter aircraft have operated alongside French warplanes in a coordinated attack on an hidden munitions depot in Syria operated by the Islamic State group (IS), as stated by the UK Ministry of Defence.
The facility, pinpointed through reconnaissance, was assessed as housing weapons and explosive materials, the announcement noted, and was located in mountains just north of the historic site of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"The RAF jets employed Paveway IV guided bombs to strike a series of access tunnels providing entry to the site... early reports are that the objective was successfully hit," the MoD said.
There was no evidence of any civilian impact in the operation late on Saturday and all the aircraft returned safely, the defence officials confirmed.
The Typhoon fighters were supported by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
The Islamic State group - alternatively referred to as the so-called Islamic State - established extremist governance over large swathes of both Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This strike demonstrates our UK leadership, and commitment to stand shoulder to shoulder with allied nations, to stamp out any resurgence of Daesh and their violent and radical beliefs in the Middle East," the British Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary said.
British military aircraft have conducted overwatch operations over Syria to "forestall any attempted comeback" of Islamic State after its routing at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the authorities noted.
"I extend gratitude to the personnel of the UK armed forces involved in this mission for their professionalism and their bravery," the Defence Secretary commented. "They were part of a great many UK service members on duty over the festive period. This mission, to take out dangerous terrorists who threaten our security, shows how UK forces are always on standby, throughout the year, ensuring Britain's security at home and strong abroad."
In December, the US military executed what it described as a "major assault" on IS targets in the country, after an assault killed two US servicemembers and a civilian interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The U.N. says IS still has an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 militants in Iraq and Syria.
