RAF Typhoon fighter aircraft have joined forces with French aircraft in a combined operation against an subterranean weapons facility in Syria employed by the Daesh militant organization, as stated by the British defence ministry.
The site, identified by intelligence, was assessed as containing munitions and bombs, the announcement noted, and was situated in hills just north of the historic site of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our fighter planes utilized precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to hit a several entry passages leading to the site... preliminary assessments suggest the strike was effective," the MoD said.
There was no indication of any harm to civilians in the attack on Saturday evening and all the aircraft returned to base without incident, the defence officials confirmed.
The British jets were assisted by a Voyager aerial refuelling aircraft.
The Islamic State group - also known as Daesh - imposed militant control over parts of Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This action shows our UK leadership, and commitment to stand shoulder to shoulder with our partners, to stamp out any resurgence of the terrorist group and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the area," Britain's Defence Chief the minister remarked.
RAF aircraft have performed patrols over Syrian airspace to "forestall any efforts to regroup" of Islamic State subsequent to its routing at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the ministry said.
"I must thank every member of our armed forces participating in this strike for their professionalism and their courage," the Defence Secretary commented. "They were among numerous British personnel on duty over Christmas and New Year. This mission, to take out militants who threaten our security, shows how our armed forces are always on standby, continuously, keeping Britain secure at home and influential overseas."
Last December, the American forces executed what it called a "major assault" on Islamic State objectives in Syria, following an assault claimed the lives of two US servicemembers and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The United Nations says IS still maintains roughly 5-7 thousand combatants in Iraq and Syria.
