British Air Force Typhoon jets have joined forces with French aircraft in a combined operation targeting an subterranean weapons facility in Syria employed by the IS group, as stated by the UK's MoD.
The site, located using surveillance, was assessed as housing weapons and explosive materials, the release indicated, and was located in mountains just above the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria.
"Our aircraft utilized precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to target a series of approach shafts down to the site... preliminary assessments suggest the strike was effective," officials stated.
There was no evidence of any harm to civilians in the strike late on Saturday and all the aircraft returned to base without incident, the ministry further stated.
The British jets were supported by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
IS - also known as Daesh - established jihadist rule over large swathes of Iraq and Syria before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This action demonstrates the UK's leading role, and resolve to stand shoulder to shoulder with our allies, to stamp out any resurgence of Daesh and their harmful and extremist ideologies in the area," UK Defence Secretary John Healey stated.
British military aircraft have conducted surveillance missions over Syria to "forestall any attempted comeback" of IS following its defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I extend gratitude to the personnel of the UK armed forces who took part in this operation for their skill and their bravery," Healey said. "Including them were a great many UK service members deployed over Christmas and New Year. This mission, to remove militants who threaten our security, highlights how UK forces are prepared to act, all year round, ensuring Britain's security at home and strong abroad."
In December, the United States armed forces executed what it described as a "large-scale strike" targeting Islamic State objectives in Syria, subsequent to an assault claimed the lives of two American soldiers and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The U.N. says IS still has roughly 5-7 thousand militants in Syria and Iraq.
