British Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have joined forces with French aircraft in a coordinated attack targeting an hidden munitions depot in Syria employed by the Daesh militant organization, as stated by the UK Ministry of Defence.
The facility, located using reconnaissance, was assessed as containing munitions and bombs, the statement said, and was positioned in mountainous terrain just to the north of the historic site of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"The RAF jets used precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to hit a series of entry passages down to the facility... early reports are that the strike was effective," the MoD said.
There was no indication of any civilian impact in the attack on Saturday evening and all the aircraft made a safe return, the defence officials confirmed.
The Typhoon fighters were backed up by a Voyager tanker plane.
IS - alternatively referred to as the so-called Islamic State - established jihadist rule over large swathes of Iraq and Syria before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This action underscores British leadership, and commitment to operate in unison with our allies, to eliminate any resurgence of the terrorist group and their violent and radical beliefs in the Middle East," the British Defence Secretary John Healey remarked.
UK warplanes have carried out overwatch operations over Syria to "prevent any efforts to regroup" of the group subsequent to its routing at the Baghuz confrontation in the year 2019, the ministry said.
"I must thank all the members of our armed forces participating in this operation for their skill and their courage," Healey added. "They were among numerous British personnel on duty over Christmas and New Year. This operation, to remove militants who pose a risk to our safety, highlights how UK forces are always on standby, throughout the year, protecting the UK within its borders and strong abroad."
In December, the US military executed what it called a "massive strike" on IS targets in Syria, after an assault claimed the lives of two US servicemembers and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The United Nations reports Daesh still has roughly 5-7 thousand fighters in Syria and Iraq.
