Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have joined forces with French aircraft in a combined operation against an hidden munitions depot in Syria employed by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the UK Ministry of Defence.
The facility, identified by reconnaissance, was thought to be containing munitions and bombs, the statement said, and was located in hills just to the north of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"The RAF jets used precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to hit a number of approach shafts leading to the site... early reports indicate the strike was effective," officials stated.
There was no indication of any harm to civilians in the strike on Saturday evening and every plane involved made a safe return, the defence officials confirmed.
The Typhoon fighters were supported by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
The Islamic State group - also known as ISIS - enforced jihadist rule over significant areas in Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This action shows British leadership, and resolve to operate in unison with our allies, to eradicate any re-emergence of IS and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the region," the British Defence Secretary John Healey stated.
RAF aircraft have performed patrols over Syria to "deter any attempted resurgence" of Islamic State following its defeat at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the ministry said.
"I must thank all the members of our armed forces involved in this operation for their professionalism and their valour," he said. "Including them were thousands of UK service members deployed over Christmas and New Year. This operation, to eliminate militants who endanger our safety, shows how our armed forces are ready to step up, continuously, protecting the UK domestically and powerful internationally."
During December, the US military executed what it described as a "major assault" on IS targets in Syria, following an ambush claimed the lives of two American soldiers and a civilian interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The United Nations reports Islamic State still has an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 combatants in Iraq and Syria.
