RAF Typhoon fighter aircraft have joined forces with French aircraft in a coordinated attack on an hidden munitions depot in Syria employed by the Islamic State group (IS), as stated by the UK Ministry of Defence.
The facility, pinpointed through surveillance, was believed to be containing munitions and bombs, the announcement noted, and was located in mountains just north of Palmyra in central Syria.
"The RAF jets used laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to target a series of approach shafts providing entry to the facility... initial indications are that the objective was successfully hit," the ministry announced.
There was no sign of any harm to civilians in the attack conducted Saturday night and every plane involved returned safely, the defence officials confirmed.
The Typhoon fighters were supported by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
Daesh - also known as the so-called Islamic State - imposed militant control over large swathes of both Syria and Iraq until 2019.
"This action shows British leadership, and commitment to operate in unison with allied nations, to eliminate any re-emergence of Daesh and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the area," the British Defence Secretary the minister said.
UK warplanes have carried out overwatch operations over Syrian airspace to "forestall any efforts to regroup" of IS subsequent to its routing at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I must thank all the members of our armed forces involved in this operation for their skill and their valour," the Defence Secretary commented. "They were among a great many British troops on duty over the festive period. This mission, to take out terrorist threats who pose a risk to our safety, shows how British military are ready to step up, continuously, keeping Britain secure domestically and powerful internationally."
Last December, the United States armed forces conducted what it termed a "major assault" on Daesh sites in the country, subsequent to an assault killed two US troops and a local interpreter in Palmyra.
The United Nations reports IS still boasts an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 fighters in Iraq and Syria.
