British Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have conducted a mission with French aircraft in a joint strike against an hidden munitions depot in Syrian territory operated by the Daesh militant organization, according to the UK's MoD.
The facility, located using surveillance, was believed to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the statement said, and was situated in hills just above the historic site of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"Our aircraft employed precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to strike a series of entry passages down to the depot... preliminary assessments suggest the objective was successfully hit," the ministry announced.
There was no indication of any harm to civilians in the strike on Saturday evening and every plane involved made a safe return, the MoD added.
The Typhoon fighters were supported by a Voyager tanker plane.
The Islamic State group - alternatively referred to as the so-called Islamic State - established extremist governance over large swathes of Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This strike shows British leadership, and determination to stand shoulder to shoulder with allied nations, to stamp out any re-emergence of the terrorist group and their violent and radical beliefs in the region," Britain's Defence Chief John Healey stated.
UK warplanes have carried out surveillance missions over Syria to "forestall any efforts to regroup" of IS subsequent to its military defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in the year 2019, the MoD reported.
"I must thank all the members of British forces who took part in this operation for their expertise and their courage," Healey commented. "Including them were thousands of UK service members stationed over Christmas and New Year. This mission, to eliminate dangerous terrorists who pose a risk to our security, demonstrates how UK forces are prepared to act, all year round, keeping Britain secure within its borders and powerful internationally."
During December, the United States armed forces carried out what it termed a "massive strike" targeting IS targets in the country, after an attack claimed the lives of two US servicemembers and a civilian interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The United Nations estimates IS still has roughly 5-7 thousand combatants in Syria and Iraq.
