RAF Typhoon FGR4s have operated alongside France's air force in a joint strike against an hidden munitions depot in Syrian territory employed by the Islamic State group (IS), as stated by the UK Ministry of Defence.
The site, identified by surveillance, was assessed as housing weapons and explosive materials, the announcement noted, and was situated in mountains just north of the historic site of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our fighter planes employed precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to target a number of access tunnels leading to the site... preliminary assessments are that the target was engaged successfully," the ministry announced.
There was no indication of any harm to civilians in the attack conducted Saturday night and all the aircraft made a safe return, the MoD added.
The Typhoon fighters were backed up by a Voyager tanker plane.
The Islamic State group - referred to as the so-called Islamic State - established militant control over large swathes of Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This operation demonstrates the UK's leading role, and determination to work closely with our allies, to eradicate any re-emergence of the terrorist group and their violent and radical beliefs in the region," UK Defence Secretary the minister stated.
UK warplanes have performed overwatch operations over Syrian airspace to "prevent any efforts to regroup" of IS following its routing at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the ministry said.
"I extend gratitude to every member of British forces involved in this strike for their skill and their valour," Healey commented. "They were among a great many British troops on duty over the holidays. This operation, to remove terrorist threats who threaten our safety, highlights how British military are prepared to act, continuously, protecting the UK domestically and strong abroad."
Last December, the US military carried out what it described as a "large-scale strike" against Daesh sites in the country, subsequent to an assault killed two US troops and a civilian linguist in Palmyra.
The U.N. reports Daesh still maintains between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters in Iraq and Syria.
