Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have operated alongside French warplanes in a coordinated attack on an underground arms cache in Syrian territory operated by the IS group, as stated by the British defence ministry.
The facility, located using surveillance, was thought to be storing arms and explosives, the announcement noted, and was located in mountainous terrain just to the north of the ancient city of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"Our fighter planes employed precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to strike a number of approach shafts leading to the site... preliminary assessments indicate the strike was effective," the ministry announced.
There was no evidence of any civilian casualties in the operation on Saturday evening and all the aircraft made a safe return, the defence officials confirmed.
The British jets were assisted by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
IS - referred to as ISIS - established extremist governance over parts of both Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This operation underscores the UK's leading role, and resolve to stand shoulder to shoulder with allied nations, to eliminate any re-emergence of the terrorist group and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the region," UK Defence Secretary the minister stated.
UK warplanes have carried out overwatch operations over Syrian airspace to "forestall any attempted resurgence" of Islamic State following its defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in the year 2019, the ministry said.
"I extend gratitude to all the members of British forces who took part in this strike for their skill and their valour," he said. "They were among numerous British troops on duty over the holidays. This operation, to take out dangerous terrorists who threaten our security, highlights how our armed forces are always on standby, all year round, ensuring Britain's security within its borders and influential overseas."
Last December, the United States armed forces carried out what it called a "large-scale strike" on Islamic State objectives in Syria, subsequent to an assault claimed the lives of two US troops and a civilian linguist in the Palmyra area.
The United Nations estimates Daesh still maintains roughly 5-7 thousand fighters in Syria and Iraq.
