British Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have operated alongside French warplanes in a combined operation against an underground arms cache in Syria employed by the IS group, according to the British defence ministry.
The facility, identified by intelligence, was believed to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the announcement noted, and was located in hills just to the north of the historic site of Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our fighter planes employed precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to strike a series of approach shafts providing entry to the facility... preliminary assessments are that the target was engaged successfully," the ministry announced.
There was no sign of any civilian impact in the operation late on Saturday and every plane involved returned safely, the MoD added.
The British jets were backed up by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
IS - also known as the so-called Islamic State - imposed jihadist rule over large swathes of Iraq and Syria until 2019.
"This operation shows the UK's leading role, and determination to operate in unison with allied nations, to eliminate any resurgence of IS and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the area," UK Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary stated.
RAF aircraft have performed overwatch operations over Syria to "deter any attempted resurgence" of the group following its military defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I want to thank all the members of our armed forces who took part in this strike for their expertise and their courage," Healey commented. "Including them were numerous UK service members on duty over the festive period. This operation, to remove dangerous terrorists who pose a risk to our way of life, demonstrates how UK forces are always on standby, all year round, protecting the UK domestically and influential overseas."
Last December, the American forces carried out what it termed a "major assault" on Islamic State objectives in Syria, following an assault claimed the lives of two American soldiers and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.
The UN says IS still maintains an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 fighters in both countries.
