Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have conducted a mission with French warplanes in a joint strike targeting an hidden munitions depot in Syria operated by the Daesh militant organization, according to the UK Ministry of Defence.
The location, located using intelligence, was assessed as housing weapons and explosive materials, the release indicated, and was situated in mountains just to the north of the ancient city of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"The RAF jets utilized precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to hit a several approach shafts leading to the depot... initial indications indicate the objective was successfully hit," the ministry announced.
There was no evidence of any civilian casualties in the attack conducted Saturday night and all the aircraft returned to base without incident, the defence officials confirmed.
The Typhoon fighters were assisted by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
The Islamic State group - referred to as Daesh - enforced militant control over large swathes of both Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This strike demonstrates our UK leadership, and commitment to stand shoulder to shoulder with our allies, to eradicate any resurgence of the terrorist group and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the region," Britain's Defence Chief John Healey said.
UK warplanes have carried out patrols over Syria to "forestall any attempted resurgence" of the group following its routing at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I want to thank all the members of our armed forces involved in this strike for their expertise and their valour," he commented. "They were among a great many UK service members on duty over Christmas and New Year. This mission, to eliminate dangerous terrorists who endanger our safety, highlights how UK forces are prepared to act, continuously, ensuring Britain's security within its borders and powerful internationally."
Last December, the US military executed what it termed a "large-scale strike" targeting Daesh sites in the country, following an ambush killed two American soldiers and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The United Nations says Islamic State still maintains roughly 5-7 thousand militants in Syria and Iraq.
