Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have operated alongside French warplanes in a joint strike targeting an underground arms cache in Syrian territory used by the Daesh militant organization, according to the British defence ministry.
The site, identified by intelligence, was assessed as storing arms and explosives, the release indicated, and was located in hills just above the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our fighter planes utilized laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to hit a several entry passages providing entry to the depot... initial indications indicate the strike was effective," officials stated.
There was no indication of any civilian impact in the strike late on Saturday and every plane involved made a safe return, the defence officials confirmed.
The Typhoon fighters were assisted by a Voyager tanker plane.
The Islamic State group - referred to as the so-called Islamic State - established militant control over significant areas in both Syria and Iraq until 2019.
"This operation shows our UK leadership, and resolve to work closely with allied nations, to eliminate any re-emergence of the terrorist group and their violent and radical beliefs in the region," the British Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary stated.
UK warplanes have conducted patrols over Syrian airspace to "deter any efforts to regroup" of Islamic State following its routing at the climactic battle in Baghuz in the year 2019, the authorities noted.
"I must thank all the members of the UK armed forces participating in this operation for their skill and their valour," he commented. "They were among thousands of British troops stationed over Christmas and New Year. This mission, to eliminate terrorist threats who threaten our way of life, shows how British military are ready to step up, continuously, protecting the UK at home and strong abroad."
Last December, the US military carried out what it described as a "massive strike" against IS targets in the country, following an assault resulted in the deaths of two American soldiers and a civilian linguist in the Palmyra area.
The United Nations says IS still has between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters in Iraq and Syria.
