British Air Force Typhoon jets have conducted a mission with France's air force in a joint strike targeting an hidden munitions depot in Syria used by the Daesh militant organization, according to the UK Ministry of Defence.
The facility, located using surveillance, was thought to be containing munitions and bombs, the release indicated, and was situated in mountains just to the north of the historic site of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"The RAF jets utilized precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to hit a series of entry passages leading to the depot... preliminary assessments indicate the strike was effective," the MoD said.
There was no indication of any civilian casualties in the operation on Saturday evening and all the aircraft returned safely, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon fighters were backed up by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
IS - alternatively referred to as ISIS - imposed jihadist rule over parts of Iraq and Syria before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This strike shows the UK's leading role, and resolve to stand shoulder to shoulder with our partners, to eliminate any revival of Daesh and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the area," the British Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary stated.
RAF aircraft have carried out patrols over Syria to "deter any efforts to regroup" of IS subsequent to its defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the ministry said.
"I must thank all the members of the UK armed forces involved in this strike for their expertise and their bravery," Healey commented. "Including them were numerous British personnel on duty over the holidays. This operation, to take out militants who pose a risk to our safety, shows how UK forces are prepared to act, throughout the year, protecting the UK at home and influential overseas."
During December, the US military carried out what it described as a "major assault" targeting Daesh sites in the country, after an attack killed two US servicemembers and a civilian linguist in the Palmyra area.
The United Nations says IS still has an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 combatants in both countries.
