Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have operated alongside France's air force in a joint strike targeting an subterranean weapons facility in Syria used by the IS group, according to the UK Ministry of Defence.
The facility, identified by reconnaissance, was believed to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the release indicated, and was located in mountains just to the north of the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our aircraft employed Paveway IV guided bombs to target a number of approach shafts leading to the site... preliminary assessments are that the strike was effective," the MoD said.
There was no evidence of any harm to civilians in the attack on Saturday evening and each participating jet made a safe return, the defence officials confirmed.
The British jets were assisted by a Voyager tanker plane.
IS - referred to as ISIS - established jihadist rule over parts of both Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This strike demonstrates our UK leadership, and determination to operate in unison with our allies, to eradicate any revival of the terrorist group and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the Middle East," Britain's Defence Chief John Healey remarked.
British military aircraft have conducted overwatch operations over Syrian airspace to "deter any efforts to regroup" of the group subsequent to its defeat at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the authorities noted.
"I want to thank every member of our armed forces involved in this operation for their professionalism and their courage," the Defence Secretary said. "Including them were a great many UK service members stationed over the holidays. This action, to take out militants who endanger our security, shows how our armed forces are prepared to act, continuously, ensuring Britain's security domestically and powerful internationally."
During December, the American forces conducted what it described as a "massive strike" on IS targets in the country, subsequent to an assault claimed the lives of two US servicemembers and a civilian linguist in the Palmyra area.
The UN says Daesh still has an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 combatants in both countries.
