RAF Typhoon jets have conducted a mission with French aircraft in a coordinated attack on an hidden munitions depot in Syrian territory operated by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the UK's MoD.
The facility, located using intelligence, was thought to be containing munitions and bombs, the release indicated, and was positioned in mountains just to the north of the ancient city of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"Our fighter planes utilized Paveway IV guided bombs to hit a series of access tunnels down to the site... initial indications are that the objective was successfully hit," officials stated.
There was no indication of any civilian casualties in the operation on Saturday evening and all the aircraft returned to base without incident, the defence officials confirmed.
The Typhoon fighters were supported by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
The Islamic State group - alternatively referred to as the so-called Islamic State - established militant control over significant areas in Syria and Iraq until 2019.
"This operation shows our UK leadership, and commitment to operate in unison with our partners, to eradicate any re-emergence of Daesh and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the area," the British Defence Secretary John Healey remarked.
RAF aircraft have performed patrols over Syrian airspace to "deter any attempted comeback" of IS following its defeat at the battle of Baghuz in the year 2019, the authorities noted.
"I want to thank all the members of the UK armed forces involved in this operation for their expertise and their courage," Healey said. "Including them were a great many UK service members stationed over Christmas and New Year. This mission, to remove dangerous terrorists who endanger our security, demonstrates how British military are prepared to act, continuously, ensuring Britain's security within its borders and powerful internationally."
Last December, the United States armed forces conducted what it termed a "major assault" targeting IS targets in Syria, after an attack resulted in the deaths of two US troops and a civilian interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The U.N. estimates Islamic State still maintains an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 combatants in both countries.
