Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have conducted a mission with France's air force in a coordinated attack on an hidden munitions depot in Syria used by the IS group, per a report from the British defence ministry.
The location, pinpointed through reconnaissance, was thought to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the release indicated, and was positioned in hills just to the north of the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our fighter planes utilized laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to target a several access tunnels down to the facility... initial indications are that the target was engaged successfully," officials stated.
There was no indication of any civilian impact in the attack conducted Saturday night and all the aircraft returned to base without incident, the defence officials confirmed.
The British jets were assisted by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
The Islamic State group - also known as ISIS - imposed extremist governance over parts of both Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This action shows British leadership, and determination to stand shoulder to shoulder with our partners, to stamp out any re-emergence of IS and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the Middle East," UK Defence Secretary the minister stated.
UK warplanes have performed surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "deter any attempted comeback" of Islamic State after its routing at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the ministry said.
"I extend gratitude to all the members of British forces involved in this strike for their skill and their bravery," the Defence Secretary commented. "They were part of a great many UK service members deployed over Christmas and New Year. This mission, to take out terrorist threats who pose a risk to our safety, highlights how our armed forces are prepared to act, all year round, ensuring Britain's security domestically and influential overseas."
Last December, the United States armed forces conducted what it described as a "major assault" targeting Islamic State objectives in Syria, following an assault resulted in the deaths of two American soldiers and a local interpreter in Palmyra.
The United Nations estimates Islamic State still has between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters in Iraq and Syria.
