British Air Force Typhoon jets have conducted a mission with French aircraft in a joint strike on an hidden munitions depot in Syrian territory operated by the Daesh militant organization, per a report from the British defence ministry.
The facility, identified by reconnaissance, was believed to be storing arms and explosives, the release indicated, and was positioned in hills just above the historic site of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"The RAF jets used laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to strike a several entry passages leading to the facility... early reports are that the strike was effective," officials stated.
There was no sign of any civilian casualties in the strike late on Saturday and all the aircraft returned to base without incident, the defence officials confirmed.
The British jets were supported by a Voyager tanker plane.
IS - alternatively referred to as Daesh - enforced militant control over parts of both Syria and Iraq until 2019.
"This strike demonstrates our UK leadership, and commitment to stand shoulder to shoulder with allied nations, to stamp out any revival of Daesh and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the Middle East," the British Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary remarked.
UK warplanes have conducted overwatch operations over Syrian airspace to "deter any efforts to regroup" of the group subsequent to its routing at the Baghuz confrontation in the year 2019, the authorities noted.
"I extend gratitude to every member of the UK armed forces involved in this operation for their expertise and their courage," Healey said. "Including them were numerous UK service members on duty over Christmas and New Year. This operation, to eliminate militants who threaten our way of life, highlights how UK forces are prepared to act, continuously, keeping Britain secure within its borders and strong abroad."
In December, the American forces conducted what it termed a "massive strike" targeting IS targets in Syria, subsequent to an ambush claimed the lives of two American soldiers and a local interpreter in Palmyra.
The United Nations says Islamic State still has roughly 5-7 thousand militants in Syria and Iraq.
