British Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have joined forces with French warplanes in a joint strike targeting an underground arms cache in Syria employed by the IS group, as stated by the UK's MoD.
The site, identified by reconnaissance, was believed to be storing arms and explosives, the announcement noted, and was located in hills just north of the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria.
"The RAF jets utilized laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to hit a series of approach shafts providing entry to the depot... early reports suggest the strike was effective," the ministry announced.
There was no sign of any civilian casualties in the attack on Saturday evening and every plane involved returned to base without incident, the MoD added.
The Typhoon FGR4s were assisted by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
IS - alternatively referred to as Daesh - established militant control over parts of both Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This action demonstrates British leadership, and resolve to work closely with our allies, to eliminate any resurgence of IS and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the Middle East," UK Defence Secretary John Healey said.
British military aircraft have conducted overwatch operations over Syrian airspace to "prevent any attempted resurgence" of Islamic State subsequent to its routing at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the authorities noted.
"I must thank every member of the UK armed forces participating in this strike for their expertise and their valour," he said. "Including them were thousands of British personnel deployed over the holidays. This operation, to remove militants who threaten our safety, demonstrates how our armed forces are ready to step up, all year round, ensuring Britain's security domestically and powerful internationally."
Last December, the US military executed what it termed a "large-scale strike" on Islamic State objectives in Syria, following an assault claimed the lives of two US troops and a local interpreter in Palmyra.
The U.N. says Daesh still boasts roughly 5-7 thousand combatants in Syria and Iraq.
