RAF Typhoon fighter aircraft have conducted a mission with French warplanes in a joint strike against an hidden munitions depot in Syria employed by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the UK's MoD.
The facility, pinpointed through intelligence, was thought to be storing arms and explosives, the release indicated, and was positioned in mountainous terrain just to the north of the historic site of Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our aircraft used precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to target a several approach shafts providing entry to the depot... preliminary assessments indicate the target was engaged successfully," the ministry announced.
There was no indication of any civilian impact in the attack conducted Saturday night and all the aircraft returned to base without incident, the MoD added.
The Typhoon fighters were supported by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
IS - referred to as Daesh - imposed militant control over large swathes of both Syria and Iraq until 2019.
"This operation shows British leadership, and resolve to work closely with our partners, to eliminate any revival of the terrorist group and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the Middle East," the British Defence Secretary the minister remarked.
RAF aircraft have conducted overwatch operations over Syrian airspace to "prevent any attempted resurgence" of IS after its military defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in the year 2019, the ministry said.
"I want to thank every member of our armed forces involved in this mission for their expertise and their valour," the Defence Secretary commented. "They were among numerous British personnel on duty over the festive period. This operation, to remove dangerous terrorists who pose a risk to our way of life, highlights how our armed forces are ready to step up, all year round, protecting the UK domestically and influential overseas."
In December, the United States armed forces conducted what it described as a "massive strike" targeting Islamic State objectives in Syria, following an attack resulted in the deaths of two American soldiers and a civilian linguist in the Palmyra area.
The U.N. says Islamic State still maintains between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters in Syria and Iraq.
