Royal Air Force Typhoon jets have joined forces with French aircraft in a coordinated attack against an underground arms cache in Syria employed by the IS group, according to the UK's MoD.
The site, pinpointed through intelligence, was thought to be containing munitions and bombs, the announcement noted, and was located in mountainous terrain just to the north of the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria.
"The RAF jets employed laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to target a several access tunnels providing entry to the site... early reports indicate the strike was effective," officials stated.
There was no indication of any harm to civilians in the attack on Saturday evening and each participating jet made a safe return, the MoD added.
The Typhoon fighters were backed up by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
IS - alternatively referred to as the so-called Islamic State - enforced jihadist rule over parts of Iraq and Syria until 2019.
"This strike underscores the UK's leading role, and resolve to operate in unison with allied nations, to stamp out any revival of Daesh and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the Middle East," UK Defence Secretary the minister stated.
UK warplanes have performed surveillance missions over Syria to "prevent any attempted resurgence" of IS subsequent to its military defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in 2019, the ministry said.
"I want to thank the personnel of British forces participating in this mission for their skill and their bravery," Healey said. "They were part of thousands of British personnel deployed over the holidays. This operation, to take out militants who threaten our security, highlights how UK forces are ready to step up, continuously, ensuring Britain's security at home and powerful internationally."
Last December, the American forces conducted what it termed a "large-scale strike" against IS targets in the country, after an ambush resulted in the deaths of two US troops and a local interpreter in Palmyra.
The UN says Daesh still has roughly 5-7 thousand fighters in Syria and Iraq.
