British Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have operated alongside French aircraft in a coordinated attack against an hidden munitions depot in Syria used by the Islamic State group (IS), according to the UK Ministry of Defence.
The facility, pinpointed through surveillance, was thought to be storing arms and explosives, the announcement noted, and was located in mountains just above the historic site of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"The RAF jets used precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to strike a number of approach shafts leading to the site... initial indications are that the strike was effective," the MoD said.
There was no evidence of any civilian impact in the operation conducted Saturday night and every plane involved made a safe return, the ministry further stated.
The British jets were backed up by a Voyager tanker plane.
IS - referred to as Daesh - established jihadist rule over significant areas in Iraq and Syria before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This operation demonstrates British leadership, and determination to stand shoulder to shoulder with our allies, to stamp out any re-emergence of IS and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the Middle East," the British Defence Secretary John Healey said.
British military aircraft have carried out surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "forestall any attempted comeback" of IS subsequent to its military defeat at the battle of Baghuz in the year 2019, the MoD reported.
"I want to thank all the members of our armed forces involved in this mission for their expertise and their courage," he commented. "They were part of a great many British personnel stationed over the festive period. This operation, to take out militants who endanger our security, highlights how British military are always on standby, continuously, keeping Britain secure within its borders and strong abroad."
During December, the United States armed forces carried out what it called a "massive strike" targeting Daesh sites in the country, after an ambush killed two US troops and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The U.N. estimates Daesh still maintains between 5,000 and 7,000 combatants in Syria and Iraq.
