RAF Typhoon FGR4s have operated alongside French aircraft in a coordinated attack on an subterranean weapons facility in Syrian territory used by the IS group, according to the British defence ministry.
The facility, pinpointed through intelligence, was thought to be storing arms and explosives, the announcement noted, and was located in hills just north of the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria.
"The RAF jets used laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to strike a series of entry passages leading to the site... preliminary assessments indicate the strike was effective," the ministry announced.
There was no sign of any harm to civilians in the operation on Saturday evening and every plane involved returned to base without incident, the MoD added.
The Typhoon fighters were backed up by a Voyager tanker plane.
IS - referred to as ISIS - enforced extremist governance over large swathes of Syria and Iraq before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This operation shows our UK leadership, and resolve to work closely with allied nations, to eliminate any resurgence of the terrorist group and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the Middle East," Britain's Defence Chief the minister stated.
UK warplanes have conducted overwatch operations over Syrian airspace to "forestall any attempted comeback" of the group after its military defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in the year 2019, the MoD reported.
"I want to thank all the members of British forces who took part in this operation for their expertise and their courage," he commented. "Including them were a great many UK service members deployed over the festive period. This action, to take out militants who endanger our security, demonstrates how our armed forces are always on standby, all year round, ensuring Britain's security at home and powerful internationally."
In December, the American forces conducted what it termed a "major assault" against IS targets in the country, following an assault claimed the lives of two American soldiers and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The U.N. says Daesh still boasts an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 combatants in both countries.
