British Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have joined forces with French warplanes in a joint strike targeting an hidden munitions depot in Syria used by the Islamic State group (IS), per a report from the British defence ministry.
The location, identified by intelligence, was assessed as storing arms and explosives, the release indicated, and was positioned in hills just north of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"The RAF jets employed Paveway IV guided bombs to strike a several entry passages down to the depot... initial indications indicate the target was engaged successfully," officials stated.
There was no evidence of any civilian casualties in the strike late on Saturday and every plane involved returned to base without incident, the ministry further stated.
The British jets were backed up by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
IS - also known as the so-called Islamic State - enforced extremist governance over large swathes of both Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This action shows British leadership, and resolve to operate in unison with our partners, to eliminate any revival of the terrorist group and their violent and radical beliefs in the area," Britain's Defence Chief the minister remarked.
RAF aircraft have carried out overwatch operations over Syrian airspace to "forestall any attempted resurgence" of the group after its defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the authorities noted.
"I extend gratitude to all the members of the UK armed forces participating in this strike for their expertise and their valour," Healey commented. "They were among a great many UK service members deployed over Christmas and New Year. This operation, to eliminate dangerous terrorists who threaten our security, shows how British military are ready to step up, throughout the year, ensuring Britain's security domestically and influential overseas."
During December, the US military carried out what it termed a "massive strike" against IS targets in Syria, following an assault resulted in the deaths of two US troops and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The United Nations says Daesh still has roughly 5-7 thousand militants in both countries.
