Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4s have joined forces with French warplanes in a combined operation against an underground arms cache in Syria employed by the IS group, according to the British defence ministry.
The site, pinpointed through intelligence, was believed to be storing arms and explosives, the release indicated, and was positioned in mountains just to the north of the ancient city of Palmyra in the heart of Syria.
"Our aircraft used laser-guided Paveway IV weapons to hit a number of entry passages providing entry to the facility... initial indications indicate the target was engaged successfully," the ministry announced.
There was no evidence of any civilian casualties in the operation late on Saturday and all the aircraft returned safely, the MoD added.
The Typhoon FGR4s were assisted by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
IS - referred to as Daesh - enforced militant control over parts of Iraq and Syria before its territorial defeat in 2019.
"This strike underscores our UK leadership, and resolve to work closely with our allies, to stamp out any re-emergence of Daesh and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the area," UK Defence Secretary the minister said.
UK warplanes have conducted overwatch operations over Syria to "deter any attempted resurgence" of IS following its defeat at the Baghuz confrontation in the year 2019, the authorities noted.
"I want to thank every member of British forces involved in this mission for their skill and their bravery," the Defence Secretary added. "They were among numerous British personnel on duty over Christmas and New Year. This operation, to remove dangerous terrorists who pose a risk to our way of life, demonstrates how UK forces are ready to step up, throughout the year, ensuring Britain's security domestically and influential overseas."
In December, the United States armed forces executed what it called a "large-scale strike" targeting Islamic State objectives in Syria, subsequent to an assault killed two US troops and a local interpreter in the Palmyra area.
The UN estimates Daesh still boasts roughly 5-7 thousand combatants in Iraq and Syria.
