British Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have conducted a mission with French aircraft in a joint strike targeting an hidden munitions depot in Syria used by the Islamic State group (IS), as stated by the UK's MoD.
The facility, located using reconnaissance, was assessed as storing arms and explosives, the announcement noted, and was positioned in hills just north of Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our aircraft utilized laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to strike a series of approach shafts down to the site... initial indications suggest the objective was successfully hit," officials stated.
There was no indication of any harm to civilians in the strike conducted Saturday night and each participating jet made a safe return, the defence officials confirmed.
The Typhoon FGR4s were assisted by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
The Islamic State group - referred to as Daesh - established jihadist rule over parts of Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This action demonstrates British leadership, and resolve to stand shoulder to shoulder with our partners, to stamp out any revival of the terrorist group and their violent and radical beliefs in the region," Britain's Defence Chief the minister stated.
UK warplanes have conducted patrols over Syrian airspace to "prevent any efforts to regroup" of Islamic State after its military defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the ministry said.
"I extend gratitude to every member of our armed forces participating in this mission for their expertise and their courage," Healey said. "Including them were thousands of UK service members deployed over the holidays. This operation, to eliminate terrorist threats who threaten our way of life, highlights how UK forces are always on standby, throughout the year, keeping Britain secure domestically and influential overseas."
Last December, the United States armed forces conducted what it described as a "major assault" targeting IS targets in Syria, subsequent to an assault resulted in the deaths of two US servicemembers and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The U.N. says Islamic State still maintains roughly 5-7 thousand militants in both countries.
