British Air Force Typhoon jets have joined forces with French aircraft in a combined operation targeting an hidden munitions depot in Syria employed by the Daesh militant organization, per a report from the UK's MoD.
The site, pinpointed through intelligence, was thought to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the announcement noted, and was positioned in mountainous terrain just above the historic site of Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our fighter planes utilized precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to hit a several approach shafts down to the facility... preliminary assessments indicate the strike was effective," the ministry announced.
There was no indication of any harm to civilians in the strike on Saturday evening and all the aircraft returned to base without incident, the MoD added.
The British jets were supported by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
IS - alternatively referred to as the so-called Islamic State - enforced extremist governance over significant areas in both Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This operation demonstrates British leadership, and commitment to stand shoulder to shoulder with our partners, to eliminate any resurgence of Daesh and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the region," Britain's Defence Chief the Defence Secretary said.
British military aircraft have performed surveillance missions over Syria to "forestall any attempted resurgence" of IS after its defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the authorities noted.
"I extend gratitude to the personnel of the UK armed forces who took part in this mission for their professionalism and their courage," he added. "They were among thousands of UK service members on duty over the festive period. This operation, to remove militants who endanger our way of life, highlights how British military are ready to step up, continuously, protecting the UK domestically and powerful internationally."
Last December, the United States armed forces executed what it described as a "major assault" against IS targets in the country, following an assault resulted in the deaths of two US servicemembers and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The United Nations estimates Islamic State still has an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 combatants in Syria and Iraq.
