British Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have conducted a mission with French aircraft in a combined operation on an hidden munitions depot in Syria used by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the UK's MoD.
The facility, pinpointed through surveillance, was assessed as storing arms and explosives, the release indicated, and was positioned in mountains just above the historic site of Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our aircraft used Paveway IV guided bombs to hit a series of access tunnels providing entry to the facility... preliminary assessments suggest the target was engaged successfully," the ministry announced.
There was no indication of any harm to civilians in the attack late on Saturday and all the aircraft made a safe return, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon FGR4s were assisted by a Voyager tanker plane.
The Islamic State group - alternatively referred to as Daesh - imposed jihadist rule over significant areas in Iraq and Syria before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This strike underscores British leadership, and resolve to operate in unison with allied nations, to stamp out any revival of Daesh and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the region," the British Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary said.
RAF aircraft have conducted overwatch operations over Syrian airspace to "prevent any attempted comeback" of Islamic State after its defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I extend gratitude to every member of the UK armed forces involved in this mission for their expertise and their bravery," he said. "Including them were numerous British troops on duty over the holidays. This mission, to eliminate dangerous terrorists who endanger our way of life, shows how our armed forces are prepared to act, continuously, keeping Britain secure within its borders and influential overseas."
In December, the US military conducted what it termed a "major assault" targeting IS targets in Syria, subsequent to an assault killed two American soldiers and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The U.N. says Daesh still maintains roughly 5-7 thousand militants in both countries.
