British Air Force Typhoon jets have operated alongside French warplanes in a joint strike targeting an hidden munitions depot in Syria employed by the IS group, according to the UK Ministry of Defence.
The site, identified by surveillance, was thought to be storing arms and explosives, the release indicated, and was positioned in mountainous terrain just above the ancient city of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"The RAF jets employed precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to strike a number of access tunnels down to the facility... preliminary assessments are that the strike was effective," officials stated.
There was no sign of any harm to civilians in the strike on Saturday evening and each participating jet made a safe return, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon fighters were assisted by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
The Islamic State group - alternatively referred to as Daesh - established extremist governance over large swathes of Syria and Iraq until 2019.
"This operation underscores our UK leadership, and resolve to operate in unison with our allies, to stamp out any resurgence of IS and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the region," the British Defence Secretary John Healey said.
British military aircraft have performed overwatch operations over Syria to "prevent any efforts to regroup" of IS after its military defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the authorities noted.
"I must thank the personnel of British forces who took part in this operation for their professionalism and their courage," he said. "They were among thousands of British troops stationed over Christmas and New Year. This action, to eliminate militants who endanger our security, highlights how British military are always on standby, throughout the year, protecting the UK domestically and influential overseas."
Last December, the United States armed forces carried out what it termed a "large-scale strike" against IS targets in Syria, following an assault resulted in the deaths of two American soldiers and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.
The U.N. reports Daesh still maintains roughly 5-7 thousand fighters in both countries.
