RAF Typhoon jets have joined forces with French aircraft in a coordinated attack on an underground arms cache in Syrian territory employed by the Daesh militant organization, according to the British defence ministry.
The location, located using surveillance, was thought to be storing arms and explosives, the statement said, and was situated in mountains just above Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our aircraft utilized laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to target a several approach shafts leading to the site... initial indications suggest the objective was successfully hit," officials stated.
There was no indication of any harm to civilians in the strike late on Saturday and all the aircraft returned safely, the defence officials confirmed.
The British jets were assisted by a Voyager tanker plane.
Daesh - also known as Daesh - enforced extremist governance over large swathes of Syria and Iraq until 2019.
"This action shows British leadership, and commitment to stand shoulder to shoulder with allied nations, to eliminate any resurgence of IS and their violent and radical beliefs in the region," UK Defence Secretary John Healey remarked.
UK warplanes have performed overwatch operations over Syrian airspace to "forestall any efforts to regroup" of IS following its military defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the ministry said.
"I extend gratitude to every member of the UK armed forces who took part in this operation for their professionalism and their bravery," he added. "They were part of numerous British personnel on duty over the festive period. This action, to eliminate terrorist threats who endanger our safety, demonstrates how our armed forces are prepared to act, all year round, keeping Britain secure at home and powerful internationally."
In December, the United States armed forces carried out what it termed a "large-scale strike" on Islamic State objectives in the country, following an attack killed two US troops and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The United Nations reports IS still boasts an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 militants in Iraq and Syria.
