RAF Typhoon jets have operated alongside French aircraft in a joint strike on an underground arms cache in Syria used by the Daesh militant organization, as stated by the UK Ministry of Defence.
The site, located using intelligence, was thought to be containing munitions and bombs, the statement said, and was located in mountains just north of the ancient city of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"The RAF jets employed Paveway IV guided bombs to target a several access tunnels providing entry to the facility... preliminary assessments are that the strike was effective," the ministry announced.
There was no sign of any harm to civilians in the operation conducted Saturday night and each participating jet 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 ISIS - enforced militant control over significant areas in both Syria and Iraq until 2019.
"This strike shows British leadership, and determination to operate in unison with our allies, to stamp out any resurgence of IS and their violent and radical beliefs in the area," the British Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary stated.
British military aircraft have conducted overwatch operations over Syrian airspace to "deter any attempted comeback" of IS following its routing at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the authorities noted.
"I want to thank the personnel of the UK armed forces involved in this mission for their expertise and their courage," he commented. "They were among thousands of British personnel stationed over the holidays. This mission, to eliminate terrorist threats who endanger our way of life, highlights how British military are prepared to act, continuously, protecting the UK within its borders and powerful internationally."
In December, the United States armed forces carried out what it termed a "large-scale strike" on IS targets in Syria, subsequent to an assault resulted in the deaths of two US servicemembers and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The United Nations says Islamic State still maintains an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 militants in both countries.
