British Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have joined forces with French warplanes in a joint strike against an hidden munitions depot in Syrian territory used by the IS group, per a report from the UK Ministry of Defence.
The site, pinpointed through reconnaissance, was thought to be containing munitions and bombs, the announcement noted, and was positioned in mountains just north of the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria.
"The RAF jets utilized Paveway IV guided bombs to target a number of entry passages providing entry to the depot... initial indications indicate the strike was effective," the MoD said.
There was no evidence of any harm to civilians in the strike on Saturday evening and every plane involved returned to base without incident, the MoD added.
The Typhoon fighters were supported by a Voyager tanker plane.
IS - also known as ISIS - enforced militant control over large swathes of both Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This strike underscores the UK's leading role, and resolve to stand shoulder to shoulder with allied nations, to stamp out any revival of Daesh and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the Middle East," the British Defence Secretary John Healey remarked.
RAF aircraft have carried out surveillance missions over Syria to "deter any attempted comeback" of IS following its routing at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I extend gratitude to the personnel of British forces involved in this operation for their professionalism and their bravery," he added. "Including them were numerous British troops on duty over the holidays. This mission, to remove dangerous terrorists who pose a risk to our way of life, demonstrates how our armed forces are ready to step up, throughout the year, protecting the UK at home and powerful internationally."
Last December, the US military executed what it termed a "massive strike" on Islamic State objectives in Syria, following an assault claimed the lives of two American soldiers and a local interpreter in Palmyra.
The UN reports IS still maintains roughly 5-7 thousand militants in both countries.
