British Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have conducted a mission with France's air force in a coordinated attack on an hidden munitions depot in Syrian territory employed by the IS group, per a report from the UK Ministry of Defence.
The facility, pinpointed through surveillance, was believed to be storing arms and explosives, the announcement noted, and was positioned in hills just above the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"The RAF jets utilized laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to target a number of approach shafts leading to the facility... initial indications indicate the objective was successfully hit," the MoD said.
There was no indication of any civilian casualties in the strike late on Saturday and each participating jet returned safely, the defence officials confirmed.
The British jets were supported by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
The Islamic State group - alternatively referred to as the so-called Islamic State - imposed militant control over large swathes of Iraq and Syria before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This action demonstrates our UK leadership, and commitment to operate in unison with our partners, to stamp out any resurgence of IS and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the Middle East," the British Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary said.
RAF aircraft have performed patrols over Syrian airspace to "forestall any attempted resurgence" of IS following its routing at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the authorities noted.
"I extend gratitude to every member of the UK armed forces participating in this mission for their professionalism and their valour," he said. "They were among a great many UK service members stationed over Christmas and New Year. This operation, to remove dangerous terrorists who endanger our security, highlights how UK forces are prepared to act, all year round, keeping Britain secure at home and strong abroad."
Last December, the US military carried out what it called a "massive strike" targeting IS targets in Syria, following an ambush claimed the lives of two US troops and a local interpreter in Palmyra.
The UN reports Daesh still has an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 combatants in Iraq and Syria.
