RAF Typhoon fighter aircraft have operated alongside French warplanes in a joint strike targeting an underground arms cache in Syrian territory operated by the IS group, as stated by the British defence ministry.
The site, pinpointed through intelligence, was believed to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the release indicated, and was located in mountains just to the north of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our fighter planes utilized laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to target a several approach shafts leading to the depot... preliminary assessments suggest the strike was effective," the ministry announced.
There was no evidence of any harm to civilians in the operation late on Saturday and all the aircraft returned safely, the defence officials confirmed.
The Typhoon FGR4s were supported by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
IS - referred to as the so-called Islamic State - established militant control over parts of both Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This operation shows the UK's leading role, and determination to stand shoulder to shoulder with our partners, to eradicate any revival of Daesh and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the Middle East," Britain's Defence Chief the Defence Secretary said.
UK warplanes have conducted surveillance missions over Syrian airspace to "prevent any attempted comeback" of IS following its defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the ministry said.
"I extend gratitude to the personnel of our armed forces who took part in this mission for their professionalism and their valour," he added. "Including them were thousands of British personnel stationed over the festive period. This action, to remove terrorist threats who threaten our security, highlights how our armed forces are ready to step up, all year round, keeping Britain secure domestically and influential overseas."
During December, the US military executed what it termed a "major assault" targeting Islamic State objectives in Syria, subsequent to an assault resulted in the deaths of two American soldiers and a civilian linguist in Palmyra.
The United Nations estimates Daesh still maintains an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 fighters in Syria and Iraq.
