Royal Air Force Typhoon jets have operated alongside French warplanes in a joint strike on an underground arms cache in Syrian territory employed by the Daesh militant organization, as stated by the British defence ministry.
The site, located using intelligence, was assessed as storing arms and explosives, the release indicated, and was situated in hills just to the north of the ancient city of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"The RAF jets employed laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to strike a several access tunnels down to the facility... initial indications suggest the strike was effective," the MoD said.
There was no indication of any civilian casualties in the attack conducted Saturday night and every plane involved returned to base without incident, the ministry further stated.
The British jets were assisted by a Voyager tanker plane.
The Islamic State group - also known as Daesh - imposed militant control over parts of both Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This strike underscores British leadership, and determination to operate in unison with our allies, to eliminate any revival of the terrorist group and their violent and radical beliefs in the Middle East," the British Defence Secretary the Defence Secretary said.
British military aircraft have conducted patrols over Syria to "forestall any efforts to regroup" of the group following its routing at the battle of Baghuz in the year 2019, the authorities noted.
"I want to thank the personnel of the UK armed forces involved in this mission for their skill and their valour," Healey commented. "Including them were numerous British personnel on duty over the holidays. This operation, to take out dangerous terrorists who threaten our way of life, shows how our armed forces are prepared to act, all year round, ensuring Britain's security domestically and powerful internationally."
In December, the US military executed what it described as a "large-scale strike" against IS targets in the country, after an ambush claimed the lives of two US troops and a local interpreter in Palmyra.
The UN reports Islamic State still maintains between 5,000 and 7,000 militants in Syria and Iraq.
