British Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have operated alongside France's air force in a combined operation targeting an hidden munitions depot in Syria operated by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the UK's MoD.
The facility, pinpointed through reconnaissance, was believed to be containing munitions and bombs, the release indicated, and was located in mountainous terrain just above the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our fighter planes utilized laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to hit a series of approach shafts providing entry to the site... preliminary assessments suggest the strike was effective," the MoD said.
There was no evidence of any civilian casualties in the strike conducted Saturday night and every plane involved returned safely, the defence officials confirmed.
The British jets were supported by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
The Islamic State group - alternatively referred to as the so-called Islamic State - established jihadist rule over large swathes of Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This strike demonstrates our UK leadership, and commitment to operate in unison with allied nations, to eliminate any resurgence of IS and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the Middle East," Britain's Defence Chief the Defence Secretary said.
RAF aircraft have performed surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "deter any attempted comeback" of the group after its military defeat at the battle of Baghuz in the year 2019, the authorities noted.
"I must thank all the members of British forces involved in this mission for their expertise and their valour," the Defence Secretary added. "They were part of a great many British troops on duty over the festive period. This mission, to take out dangerous terrorists who threaten our security, demonstrates how our armed forces are always on standby, throughout the year, ensuring Britain's security within its borders and influential overseas."
During December, the United States armed forces conducted what it described as a "major assault" against Daesh sites in Syria, after an assault claimed the lives of two American soldiers and a civilian interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The U.N. reports IS still boasts roughly 5-7 thousand combatants in Iraq and Syria.
