RAF Typhoon jets have joined forces with French aircraft in a combined operation against an hidden munitions depot in Syria operated by the IS group, as stated by the British defence ministry.
The location, pinpointed through surveillance, was believed to be containing munitions and bombs, the release indicated, and was positioned in mountains just above Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our aircraft utilized Paveway IV guided bombs to strike a number of entry passages providing entry to the depot... preliminary assessments suggest the objective was successfully hit," officials stated.
There was no indication of any harm to civilians in the attack conducted Saturday night and all the aircraft returned to base without incident, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon fighters were assisted by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
IS - alternatively referred to as the so-called Islamic State - imposed jihadist rule over parts of Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This strike shows our UK leadership, and commitment to operate in unison with our partners, to stamp out any re-emergence of Daesh and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the Middle East," Britain's Defence Chief the Defence Secretary said.
UK warplanes have carried out overwatch operations over Syrian airspace to "prevent any efforts to regroup" of Islamic State following its defeat at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the authorities noted.
"I must thank every member of the UK armed forces participating in this operation for their professionalism and their valour," the Defence Secretary said. "They were part of thousands of British personnel on duty over Christmas and New Year. This mission, to take out militants who pose a risk to our way of life, highlights how UK forces are prepared to act, continuously, keeping Britain secure within its borders and strong abroad."
Last December, the US military conducted what it termed a "large-scale strike" targeting IS targets in the country, after an ambush resulted in the deaths of two American soldiers and a civilian interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The UN reports Daesh still has roughly 5-7 thousand combatants in Syria and Iraq.
