British Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have operated alongside French aircraft in a coordinated attack targeting an underground arms cache in Syrian territory used by the Daesh militant organization, as stated by the UK's MoD.
The site, identified by intelligence, was believed to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the statement said, and was positioned in mountains just north of the historic site of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"The RAF jets used precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to strike a number of approach shafts providing entry to the site... early reports indicate the objective was successfully hit," the MoD said.
There was no evidence of any harm to civilians in the strike on Saturday evening and each participating jet made a safe return, the MoD added.
The Typhoon FGR4s were backed up by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
The Islamic State group - referred to as Daesh - imposed jihadist rule over large swathes of both Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This action shows the UK's leading role, and commitment to operate in unison with our partners, to eliminate any resurgence of the terrorist group and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the region," UK Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary stated.
British military aircraft have conducted patrols over Syria to "forestall any attempted comeback" of the group following its defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in the year 2019, the ministry said.
"I must thank all the members of the UK armed forces participating in this operation for their professionalism and their courage," Healey commented. "Including them were a great many British personnel on duty over Christmas and New Year. This operation, to take out terrorist threats who endanger our way of life, highlights how our armed forces are prepared to act, all year round, protecting the UK within its borders and influential overseas."
In December, the United States armed forces conducted what it termed a "major assault" on IS targets in Syria, subsequent to an ambush claimed the lives of two US troops and a civilian linguist in the Palmyra area.
The United Nations estimates Daesh still boasts roughly 5-7 thousand fighters in Syria and Iraq.
