British Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have joined forces with French aircraft in a combined operation against an hidden munitions depot in Syria employed by the Islamic State group (IS), according to the UK Ministry of Defence.
The site, pinpointed through surveillance, was assessed as housing weapons and explosive materials, the statement said, and was positioned in mountainous terrain just north of Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our fighter planes used precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to target a number of entry passages providing entry to the depot... early reports indicate the target was engaged successfully," the MoD said.
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 FGR4s were assisted by a Voyager tanker plane.
IS - also known as ISIS - established jihadist rule over large swathes of both Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This operation shows our UK leadership, and determination to operate in unison with our partners, to stamp out any re-emergence of IS and their violent and radical beliefs in the Middle East," UK Defence Secretary the minister remarked.
UK warplanes have performed surveillance missions over Syria to "forestall any attempted resurgence" of the group subsequent to its routing at the Baghuz confrontation in the year 2019, the MoD reported.
"I must thank the personnel of the UK armed forces who took part in this operation for their expertise and their courage," he commented. "They were part of thousands of British personnel deployed over the holidays. This mission, to take out militants who pose a risk to our safety, highlights how our armed forces are ready to step up, throughout the year, keeping Britain secure within its borders and strong abroad."
In December, the American forces conducted what it called a "major assault" targeting Daesh sites in the country, subsequent to an attack claimed the lives of two American soldiers and a civilian linguist in the Palmyra area.
The UN says Daesh still boasts roughly 5-7 thousand fighters in both countries.
