Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have conducted a mission with French warplanes in a combined operation against an hidden munitions depot in Syrian territory operated by the Daesh militant organization, per a report from the UK's MoD.
The location, pinpointed through reconnaissance, was assessed as containing munitions and bombs, the release indicated, and was positioned in hills just north of Palmyra in central Syria.
"The RAF jets utilized Paveway IV guided bombs to strike a number of access tunnels providing entry to the facility... early reports suggest the strike was effective," officials stated.
There was no evidence of any civilian casualties in the strike on Saturday evening and all the aircraft returned to base without incident, the defence officials confirmed.
The Typhoon FGR4s were assisted by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
IS - referred to as ISIS - imposed militant control over parts of Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This operation underscores British leadership, and resolve to operate in unison with allied nations, to stamp out any re-emergence of IS and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the Middle East," UK Defence Secretary John Healey remarked.
RAF aircraft have carried out patrols over Syria to "forestall any efforts to regroup" of IS following its defeat at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I extend gratitude to every member of the UK armed forces involved in this operation for their professionalism and their valour," he commented. "They were among thousands of UK service members stationed over the holidays. This mission, to eliminate terrorist threats who threaten our way of life, shows how UK forces are prepared to act, all year round, ensuring Britain's security domestically and influential overseas."
During December, the US military executed what it described as a "large-scale strike" against Islamic State objectives in the country, subsequent to an assault resulted in the deaths of two American soldiers and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The U.N. reports Islamic State still maintains roughly 5-7 thousand militants in Iraq and Syria.
