Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have joined forces with French warplanes in a combined operation targeting an underground arms cache in Syrian territory used by the IS group, per a report from the British defence ministry.
The location, identified by reconnaissance, was believed to be containing munitions and bombs, the statement said, and was located in mountains just to the north of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"The RAF jets utilized precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to target a number of access tunnels leading to the site... preliminary assessments suggest the target was engaged successfully," the ministry announced.
There was no evidence of any civilian impact in the strike late on Saturday and all the aircraft made a safe return, the MoD added.
The Typhoon fighters were backed up by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
The Islamic State group - alternatively referred to as Daesh - established militant control over significant areas in both Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This strike demonstrates our UK leadership, and resolve to stand shoulder to shoulder with allied nations, to eradicate any resurgence of IS and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the Middle East," Britain's Defence Chief John Healey stated.
British military aircraft have carried out patrols over Syrian airspace to "prevent any efforts to regroup" of the group following its military defeat at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the authorities noted.
"I extend gratitude to the personnel of the UK armed forces who took part in this mission for their professionalism and their courage," he added. "Including them were a great many UK service members stationed over the festive period. This operation, to remove terrorist threats who endanger our security, demonstrates how British military are prepared to act, all year round, ensuring Britain's security within its borders and influential overseas."
During December, the United States armed forces executed what it described as a "major assault" targeting Daesh sites in the country, following an attack killed two US troops and a civilian linguist in Palmyra.
The U.N. says IS still boasts between 5,000 and 7,000 combatants in Syria and Iraq.
