Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have joined forces with French warplanes in a joint strike against an subterranean weapons facility in Syria employed by the IS group, as stated by the British defence ministry.
The site, identified by surveillance, was believed to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the statement said, and was located in hills just above the historic site of Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our aircraft used precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to hit a series of approach shafts down to the facility... early reports indicate the strike was effective," the ministry announced.
There was no sign of any civilian casualties in the attack late on Saturday and all the aircraft made a safe return, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon fighters were assisted by a Voyager tanker plane.
The Islamic State group - also known as ISIS - imposed jihadist rule over significant areas in both Syria and Iraq until 2019.
"This strike shows our UK leadership, and resolve to stand shoulder to shoulder with allied nations, to stamp out any revival of Daesh and their violent and radical beliefs in the Middle East," the British Defence Secretary the minister remarked.
British military aircraft have performed overwatch operations over Syria to "prevent any attempted resurgence" of IS following its military defeat at the battle of Baghuz in the year 2019, the authorities noted.
"I must thank all the members of British forces involved in this strike for their skill and their bravery," the Defence Secretary commented. "They were part of a great many British troops stationed over Christmas and New Year. This operation, to remove militants who threaten our way of life, shows how our armed forces are prepared to act, throughout the year, protecting the UK domestically and influential overseas."
During December, the United States armed forces executed what it called a "massive strike" against IS targets in the country, after an assault claimed the lives of two US servicemembers and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.
The UN reports IS still has between 5,000 and 7,000 militants in Iraq and Syria.
