RAF Typhoon fighter aircraft have joined forces with French warplanes in a joint strike against an hidden munitions depot in Syria operated by the Daesh militant organization, as stated by the UK Ministry of Defence.
The site, located using intelligence, was believed to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the release indicated, and was positioned in hills just above Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our aircraft used laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to hit a series of access tunnels down to the site... initial indications indicate the target was engaged successfully," officials stated.
There was no indication of any civilian casualties in the strike conducted Saturday night and every plane involved made a safe return, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon FGR4s were assisted by a Voyager tanker plane.
Daesh - also known as the so-called Islamic State - enforced militant control over large swathes of both Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This strike demonstrates the UK's leading role, and commitment to work closely with allied nations, to eradicate any revival of Daesh and their violent and radical beliefs in the region," the British Defence Secretary the minister remarked.
British military aircraft have conducted surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "forestall any attempted comeback" of Islamic State following its military defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I want to thank the personnel of the UK armed forces participating in this mission for their skill and their courage," the Defence Secretary added. "They were among thousands of UK service members deployed over Christmas and New Year. This operation, to eliminate militants who pose a risk to our safety, demonstrates how our armed forces are always on standby, throughout the year, ensuring Britain's security within its borders and powerful internationally."
Last December, the US military conducted what it termed a "massive strike" on Daesh sites in Syria, after an ambush claimed the lives of two US troops and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The U.N. reports IS still has roughly 5-7 thousand militants in Iraq and Syria.
