Royal Air Force Typhoon jets have conducted a mission with France's air force in a joint strike against an hidden munitions depot in Syria operated by the IS group, according to the British defence ministry.
The facility, located using intelligence, was thought to be storing arms and explosives, the release indicated, and was located in mountainous terrain just to the north of the historic site of Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our fighter planes used precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to strike a series of entry passages leading to the depot... initial indications suggest the strike was effective," officials stated.
There was no evidence of any harm to civilians in the attack on Saturday evening and each participating jet returned to base without incident, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon fighters were backed up by a Voyager tanker plane.
The Islamic State group - alternatively referred to as ISIS - established extremist governance over large swathes of Iraq and Syria until 2019.
"This action underscores British leadership, and determination to stand shoulder to shoulder with allied nations, to eradicate any re-emergence of the terrorist group and their violent and radical beliefs in the region," the British Defence Secretary John Healey stated.
RAF aircraft have carried out surveillance missions over Syria to "deter any attempted resurgence" of Islamic State following its routing at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I want to thank all the members of the UK armed forces who took part in this operation for their expertise and their bravery," he commented. "They were part of thousands of British personnel on duty over the festive period. This mission, to eliminate terrorist threats who pose a risk to our security, highlights how our armed forces are ready to step up, continuously, ensuring Britain's security domestically and strong abroad."
In December, the United States armed forces conducted what it termed a "large-scale strike" targeting Islamic State objectives in Syria, following an assault claimed the lives of two US troops and a civilian interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The U.N. estimates IS still boasts between 5,000 and 7,000 combatants in both countries.
