British Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have joined forces with French warplanes in a joint strike targeting an underground arms cache in Syrian territory operated by the IS group, per a report from the UK's MoD.
The facility, located using reconnaissance, was assessed as storing arms and explosives, the statement said, and was located in mountains just above the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our fighter planes utilized precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to hit a number of approach shafts down to the facility... preliminary assessments suggest the strike was effective," the MoD said.
There was no sign of any civilian impact in the operation conducted Saturday night and all the aircraft made a safe return, the MoD added.
The British jets were supported by a Voyager tanker plane.
The Islamic State group - also known as the so-called Islamic State - enforced extremist governance over significant areas in Syria and Iraq until 2019.
"This strike shows British leadership, and commitment to work closely with allied nations, to stamp out any resurgence of Daesh and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the Middle East," UK Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary remarked.
British military aircraft have conducted surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "forestall any attempted resurgence" of the group after its defeat at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the authorities noted.
"I must thank the personnel of our armed forces participating in this mission for their professionalism and their bravery," the Defence Secretary said. "They were part of a great many UK service members on duty over the festive period. This mission, to remove militants who endanger our way of life, highlights how UK forces are ready to step up, continuously, protecting the UK at home and powerful internationally."
During December, the US military executed what it described as a "massive strike" targeting Daesh sites in the country, following an attack resulted in the deaths of two US troops and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.
The United Nations says Islamic State still maintains an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 combatants in Syria and Iraq.
