British Air Force Typhoon jets have joined forces with France's air force in a joint strike targeting an underground arms cache in Syria operated by the IS group, according to the UK Ministry of Defence.
The site, located using reconnaissance, was believed to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the statement said, and was positioned in mountainous terrain just north of the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our fighter planes employed laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to hit a series of access tunnels providing entry to the facility... early reports are that the strike was effective," officials stated.
There was no indication of any civilian casualties in the strike late on Saturday and every plane involved made a safe return, the defence officials confirmed.
The Typhoon FGR4s were supported by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
IS - also known as ISIS - imposed jihadist rule over large swathes of both Syria and Iraq prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This strike underscores British leadership, and determination to stand shoulder to shoulder with our allies, to stamp out any resurgence of Daesh and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the Middle East," UK Defence Secretary John Healey remarked.
British military aircraft have carried out patrols over Syria to "forestall any attempted comeback" of Islamic State subsequent to its defeat at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the authorities noted.
"I want to thank all the members of our armed forces who took part in this strike for their skill and their bravery," the Defence Secretary said. "They were part of a great many UK service members stationed over the holidays. This mission, to take out terrorist threats who threaten our security, highlights how our armed forces are always on standby, throughout the year, ensuring Britain's security at home and powerful internationally."
In December, the US military carried out what it described as a "major assault" targeting IS targets in Syria, following an attack claimed the lives of two US troops and a civilian linguist in Palmyra.
The U.N. says Daesh still boasts roughly 5-7 thousand fighters in both countries.
