RAF Typhoon fighter aircraft have joined forces with French aircraft in a joint strike on an hidden munitions depot in Syrian territory used by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the British defence ministry.
The location, pinpointed through surveillance, was assessed as housing weapons and explosive materials, the announcement noted, and was located in mountainous terrain just to the north of the historic site of Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our fighter planes utilized laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to target a number of entry passages leading to the facility... initial indications are that the strike was effective," the ministry announced.
There was no evidence of any harm to civilians in the operation late on Saturday and all the aircraft made a safe return, the defence officials confirmed.
The Typhoon fighters were backed up by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
Daesh - referred to as the so-called Islamic State - established extremist governance over parts of Iraq and Syria before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This action shows our UK leadership, and resolve to work closely with our allies, to eradicate any revival of the terrorist group and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the area," Britain's Defence Chief the Defence Secretary said.
RAF aircraft have performed patrols over Syria to "forestall any efforts to regroup" of the group following its military defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the authorities noted.
"I must thank the personnel of our armed forces participating in this mission for their skill and their courage," the Defence Secretary added. "They were part of a great many British troops stationed over Christmas and New Year. This mission, to eliminate terrorist threats who pose a risk to our security, highlights how our armed forces are always on standby, continuously, keeping Britain secure at home and powerful internationally."
During December, the United States armed forces executed what it described as a "large-scale strike" on Daesh sites in the country, after an ambush resulted in the deaths of two US troops and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The U.N. says Daesh still boasts between 5,000 and 7,000 combatants in Syria and Iraq.
