British Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have joined forces with French warplanes in a coordinated attack against an subterranean weapons facility in Syria used by the IS group, per a report from the UK's MoD.
The site, located using intelligence, was believed to be storing arms and explosives, the statement said, and was situated in mountains just north of the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our fighter planes used Paveway IV guided bombs to strike a series of access tunnels providing entry to the facility... initial indications indicate the strike was effective," officials stated.
There was no indication of any harm to civilians in the operation on Saturday evening and each participating jet made a safe return, the defence officials confirmed.
The British jets were assisted by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
IS - referred to as Daesh - enforced jihadist rule over significant areas in Iraq and Syria prior to its 2019 collapse.
"This strike shows British leadership, and determination to operate in unison with allied nations, to eliminate any resurgence of IS and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the area," UK Defence Secretary John Healey remarked.
RAF aircraft have performed overwatch operations over Syrian airspace to "forestall any attempted resurgence" of the group after its defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in the year 2019, the authorities noted.
"I extend gratitude to the personnel of British forces involved in this mission for their professionalism and their courage," he commented. "They were among thousands of British personnel stationed over the festive period. This action, to remove terrorist threats who endanger our way of life, demonstrates how our armed forces are ready to step up, continuously, ensuring Britain's security domestically and powerful internationally."
Last December, the United States armed forces conducted what it termed a "massive strike" targeting IS targets in Syria, after an assault resulted in the deaths of two US troops and a local interpreter in Palmyra.
The UN reports Daesh still maintains roughly 5-7 thousand fighters in Syria and Iraq.
