RAF Typhoon fighter aircraft have joined forces with French warplanes in a coordinated attack targeting an hidden munitions depot in Syria operated by the Daesh militant organization, according to the UK Ministry of Defence.
The location, identified by surveillance, was thought to be containing munitions and bombs, the release indicated, and was situated in mountains just above Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our fighter planes used Paveway IV guided bombs to strike a number of entry passages providing entry to the facility... initial indications indicate the strike was effective," the MoD said.
There was no indication of any civilian casualties in the attack late on Saturday and all the aircraft returned to base without incident, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon fighters were backed up by a Voyager tanker plane.
IS - also known as ISIS - established extremist governance over significant areas in Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This action demonstrates our UK leadership, and resolve to operate in unison with our allies, to eliminate any revival of IS and their violent and radical beliefs in the region," UK Defence Secretary the minister remarked.
UK warplanes have conducted surveillance missions over Syria to "deter any efforts to regroup" of IS after its routing at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the authorities noted.
"I must thank every member of our armed forces involved in this operation for their skill and their bravery," the Defence Secretary said. "Including them were thousands of UK service members deployed over the festive period. This operation, to eliminate terrorist threats who pose a risk to our safety, demonstrates how our armed forces are prepared to act, continuously, ensuring Britain's security within its borders and strong abroad."
During December, the US military conducted what it termed a "large-scale strike" against Islamic State objectives in the country, after an ambush resulted in the deaths of two US servicemembers and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.
The UN says Islamic State still has an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 fighters in both countries.
