Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have joined forces with French warplanes in a joint strike targeting an hidden munitions depot in Syrian territory used by the IS group, according to the UK Ministry of Defence.
The location, located using intelligence, was believed to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the announcement noted, and was located in mountains just to the north of the historic site of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"Our fighter planes employed laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to hit a several approach shafts providing entry to the site... initial indications indicate the strike was effective," officials stated.
There was no sign of any civilian impact in the operation late on Saturday and each participating jet returned safely, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon FGR4s were supported by a Voyager tanker plane.
The Islamic State group - alternatively referred to as the so-called Islamic State - enforced militant control over parts 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 our allies, to eradicate any resurgence of IS and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the Middle East," Britain's Defence Chief the minister stated.
RAF aircraft have carried out patrols over Syrian airspace to "forestall any attempted comeback" of the group after its defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the ministry said.
"I want to thank every member of the UK armed forces participating in this operation for their expertise and their courage," he commented. "Including them were a great many British personnel on duty over Christmas and New Year. This action, to remove terrorist threats who endanger our way of life, highlights how British military are prepared to act, throughout the year, protecting the UK at home and strong abroad."
Last December, the American forces carried out what it termed a "large-scale strike" targeting Daesh sites in the country, subsequent to an attack resulted in the deaths of two American soldiers and a local interpreter in Palmyra.
The United Nations says IS still maintains roughly 5-7 thousand fighters in both countries.
