RAF Typhoon fighter aircraft have joined forces with France's air force in a joint strike against an subterranean weapons facility in Syria employed by the IS group, per a report from the UK's MoD.
The site, located using intelligence, was assessed as housing weapons and explosive materials, the statement said, and was situated in mountains just to the north of the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our aircraft utilized precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to target a series of approach shafts providing entry to the site... early reports are that the objective was successfully hit," the ministry announced.
There was no evidence of any civilian impact in the strike on Saturday evening and each participating jet made a safe return, the defence officials confirmed.
The British jets were supported by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
IS - referred to as Daesh - established jihadist rule over significant areas in both Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This action shows our UK leadership, and determination to work closely with our partners, to eliminate any revival of the terrorist group and their violent and radical beliefs in the Middle East," UK Defence Secretary John Healey stated.
UK warplanes have conducted overwatch operations over Syria to "prevent any attempted comeback" of the group subsequent to its military defeat at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the ministry said.
"I extend gratitude to every member of our armed forces participating in this mission for their expertise and their courage," the Defence Secretary said. "They were among a great many British personnel deployed over Christmas and New Year. This operation, to take out militants who endanger our way of life, highlights how British military are ready to step up, continuously, protecting the UK at home and powerful internationally."
Last December, the US military executed what it termed a "large-scale strike" targeting Daesh sites in Syria, after an assault claimed the lives of two American soldiers and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.
The U.N. estimates IS still boasts between 5,000 and 7,000 combatants in Iraq and Syria.
