British Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have operated alongside France's air force in a joint strike targeting an hidden munitions depot in Syrian territory used by the Daesh militant organization, per a report from the UK Ministry of Defence.
The location, identified by intelligence, was assessed as housing weapons and explosive materials, the announcement noted, and was situated in mountainous terrain just north of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our aircraft utilized laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to hit a several access tunnels leading to the depot... preliminary assessments are that the strike was effective," the MoD said.
There was no evidence of any civilian casualties in the operation late on Saturday and each participating jet returned to base without incident, the defence officials confirmed.
The Typhoon FGR4s were assisted by a Voyager tanker plane.
The Islamic State group - also known as ISIS - imposed militant control over large swathes of both Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This operation demonstrates the UK's leading role, and commitment to work closely with our partners, to eradicate any re-emergence of the terrorist group and their violent and radical beliefs in the area," Britain's Defence Chief John Healey remarked.
British military aircraft have performed surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "prevent any attempted resurgence" of the group after its defeat at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the authorities noted.
"I must thank every member of British forces who took part in this operation for their professionalism and their valour," Healey commented. "They were part of thousands of UK service members on duty over the festive period. This mission, to eliminate dangerous terrorists who pose a risk to our safety, shows how our armed forces are prepared to act, all year round, keeping Britain secure within its borders and strong abroad."
In December, the American forces conducted what it called a "large-scale strike" targeting Daesh sites in the country, subsequent to an ambush killed two American soldiers and a civilian linguist in the Palmyra area.
The UN says Islamic State still boasts an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 fighters in Iraq and Syria.
